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BV 1585 .K8 1926 «i. 2 
Krumbine, Miles Henry, 1891 
i A summer program for the 
church school 


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Prati ty) 
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THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PUBLICATIONS 
IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 


Edited by 
SHAILER MATHEWS THEODORE G. SOARES 
W. W. CHARTERS 


PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF RELIGIOUS 
EDUCATION 





A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE 
CHURCEASCHOOL 


THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS 
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 


—~ 


THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY 
NEW YORK 


THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED 
TORONTO 


THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS 
LONDON 


THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA 
TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, FUKUOKA, SENDAI 


THE MISSION BOOK COMPANY 
SHANGHAI 





SUMMER PROGRAM 
for the 
CHURCH SCHOOL 









Ww 
By MILES H. KRUMBINE 
Pastor of Parkside Lutheran Church, Buffalo, N.Y. 


Formerly Pastor of The First Lutheran Church 
Dayton, Ohio 






THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS 
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 










CoPyRIGHT 1926 By 
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO 





All Rights Reserved 





Published June 1926 


Composed and Printed By ast 
The University of Chicago Press 
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. 





TO MY WIFE 





GENERAL PREFACE 


The progress in religious education in the last few 
years has been highly encouraging. The subject has at- 
tained something of a status as a scientific study, and 
significant investigative and experimental work has been 
done. More than that, trained men and women in in- 
creasing numbers have been devoting themselves to the 
endeavor to work out in churches and Sunday schools 
the practical problems of organization and method. 

It would seem that the time has come to present to 
the large body of workers in the field of religious educa- 
tion some of the results of the studies and practice of 
those who have attained a measure of educational suc- 
cess. With this end in view the present series of books 
on “Principles and Methods of Religious Education” 
has been undertaken. 

It is intended that these books, while thoroughly 
scientific in character, shall be at the same time popular 
in presentation, so that they may be available to Sun- 
day-school and church workers everywhere. The en- 
deavor is definitely made to take into account the small- 
er school with meager equipment, as well as to hold be- 
fore the larger schools the ideals of equipment and train- 
ing. 

The series is planned to meet as far as possible all 
the problems that arise in the conduct of the educational 
work of the church. While the Sunday school, there- 


ix 


x GENERAL PREFACE 


fore, is considered as the basal organization for this pur- 
pose, the wider educational work of the pastor himself 
and that of the various other church organizations re- 
ceive due consideration as of a unified system of educa- 
tion in morals and religion. 

THE EDITORS 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Pee ODUCTION TOS! sc roi, a we ek I 
CHAPTER 
Pe Leta ORK: OR THESMXECUTIVE = oo.) ys 3 
II. THE WorK OF THE PRINCIPAL; THE DIRECTOR 
oF Music; THE DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS 
DR AMATT COG eam ae Miri ers Oe teeta ks 2 28 
Te eePERTOD OF DIBLESMTUDY: = ess. 20, 4: ow (40 
Veh bh ERIOD OF MISSION STUDY...) -.1 +) «70 
Nem UHisCERTODOF DRAMATIZATION sm" 1c) on) & ILO 
VI. THE PERIOD OF WORSHIP OR THE ASSEMBLY 
ee LOD meme eek MT eS Ne Ce a OTA S 
i eLRAINING INVERAVYER 9.) a02..%, JS « "s 358 
Danie eVICH AVG eres) Stee) ey A CY 2 ldo Aa TOA 
PES Smee Poe Wy Tale eo, be we EPS 
INDEX 189 





INTRODUCTION 


The occasion for this book springs from a concrete 
experience. During the summer of 1924 the writer was 
asked by the editor of the Good Housekeeping Magazine 
to write an account of the Summer School of Religious 
Education conducted annually by the First Lutheran 
Church, Dayton, Ohio, for his magazine. The story ap- 
peared in that magazine under the editor’s title, ‘“Ma- 
triculating in Righteousness,” in March, 1925. During 
the next six months one hundred and fifty letters of in- 
quiry came to the writer asking for copies of the pro- 
gram of our school and directions how to operate a 
similar school in a given situation. These letters came 
from thirty-five states of the United States, China, The 
Philippines, Hawaii, Canada, Porto Rico, and Japan. 
There seemed to be an obvious need for a book written 
from an executive’s rather than a specialist’s standpoint. 

The program discussed in these pages does not pre- 
tend to be “the last word”’; its faults indeed are legion. 
The very next session of the school will no doubt witness 
many changes in it. The account is a simple setting 
forth of what has actually been done, and how it has 
been done, by asingle church that isattempting to meet 
an urgent need in the child life for which it is primarily 
responsible. 

Next to nothing is said of theory. Better books than 
the present author could write are to be had in abund- 


AE 


2 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


ance on that subject. This is a straightforward account 
of an actual program of religious education which has 
been carried out now for six years. Its only virtue is 
that it has been done. It, or better, can be done by 
anyone who has the will to do it. 

If the organization of this school seems rather elab- 
orate the reader ought to bear in mind that such need 
not be the case. The general plan of this school can be 
carried out successfully on a very meager basis both of 
funds and of organization. At least two schools have 
been operated on the basis of the program offered here 
for less than two hundred dollars each and with a 
minimum force of workers. Wherefore it seems evident 
that the modern church needs primarily the will to 
educate its child life in religion rather than ample funds, 
ample equipment, and an ample staff. 





CHAPTER I 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE 


Manifestly the first work of the executive is to com- 
mit the congregation to an adequate program of reli- 
gious education. The argument that was found convinc- 
ing in the church under discussion may work elsewhere. 

We had always assumed that the church was a 
teaching institution, and yet how much teaching was 
she actually doing? We found that we were giving about 
thirty minutes instruction to the juveniles one day each 
week, that day, of course, being Sunday. Suppose that 
a given child did not miss a single Sunday, he would 
have had, at the end of the year, twenty-six hours of 
training in religion; in ten years this would amount to 
two hundred and sixty hours. But during the same 
period the same child would have received one thousand 
hours of training in reading or in writing or in history 
in the public school. Granted that the Sunday-school 
teaching is on a par with the public-school teaching, 
which it is not, does it seem fair to the child to subject 


3 


4 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


him to such a marked neglect of religious education? 
True, there is always the assumption that he gets reli- 
gious training in the home! Only the naive are de- 
ceived by that assumption. 

We had always assumed, in the second place, that 
the child is susceptible to education; that by means of 
it something can be made to happen to him, that 
character can be molded, conduct modified. The mod- 
ern church believes that the child is destined to become 
what the forces that play on his life make of him. The 
modern church believes that the kind of education he 
gets, the kind of subjects he is taught, the sort of moral 
and religious influences that surround him, determine 
in a large measure what he shall become. The modern 
church believes in the educability of the child. But the 
modern church has been far from acting on this belief. 
It has been my experience that parents give painstak- 
ing care to the training of their children in the social 
amenities, but that they must be everlastingly urged to 
interest themselves in their children’s religious training. 
The-same child not infrequently is a great deal more 
regular for his dancing lesson than he is for his lesson 
in. the catechism. The answer is not ‘“‘the decay of 
parenthood.” The answer is, I think, that the church 
has not captured the imagination of the parent with its 
program of religious education; that the church has not 
made vivid enough its belief that character can be 
fashioned by education. The modern church has not 
lived up to its belief in the educability of children. 

We had always assumed in the third place that reli- 
gion is a subject that can be taught. Religion is 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE 5 


achieved and not inherited. “Each generation,” as one 
of our religious educators has so well said, “‘must create 
anew in its own life and experience the spiritual culture 
of the race.”’ No matter how nobly self-sacrificing or 
morally decent the parent, that spells nothing concern- 
ing the character of the child, except in a general way. 
Acquired moral characteristics are not transmitted by 
the natural process of generation; those characteristics 
are transmitted by the process of education. Religion 
is the one power that can transform life. And yet de- 
spite that assumption we found that we were carrying 
out a program of religious education, “not in harmony 
with the needs of the present nor the demands of the 
future, but with the traditions of the past.’”’ We were 
going through the motions, as I suppose most churches 
are, more to satisfy our own emotions than to meet the 
moral situation in the life of the juniors and adolescents. 

Something like that was the nature of the argument 
with which we came to our congregation. We asked for 
an opportunity to attempt a program of religious educa- 
tion that would in a measure meet this situation. Our 
proposition was that for about fifteen hundred dollars 
we could operate a school for four weeks in the summer 
time, which would give the child sixty hours of intensive 
training in religion. The proposed program covered a 
period of ten years, thereby giving the pupil six hundred 
hours of education in religion. The response of the con- 
gregation was magnificent. We have been operating our 
school now for six years with an average annual enrol- 
ment of approximately two hundred and twenty-five 
children. 


6 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


FUNDS 


The next step was to secure the necessary funds. 
This was found quite easy. The project was given a 
place in the church budget. The first year, as on suc- 
ceeding years, it made the best “talking point” avail- 
able for our church budget. In several schools started | 
at the instigation of the writer, the matter of funds was 
met by private solicitation. In every instance the funds 
were immediately forthcoming. Raising the money is 
the easiest part of the work. Men believe in education, 
especially religious education, when they believe in little 
else. What men believe in they will contribute to. 


SELECTION OF TEACHERS 


Then comes the selection of teachers. It has been 
our invariable custom to select first a good public- 
school principal to act as the principal of the school, 
With her co-operation it has been our aim to secure the 
best teacher available for any given grade from among 
the public-school teachers of the city. We have not in- 
sisted on teachers being Lutherans and have never had 
all Lutheran teachers, though usually two-thirds of the 
teachers have been from our own church. The teachers, 
of course, are paid. The principal gets one hundred dol- 
lars for the term, while the teachers get eighty dollars. 
The teacher of music and the director of dramatics re- 
ceive the same remuneration as the teachers. 

The selection of teachers usually takes place in 
March. The teachers at once undertake a course of read- 
ing in preparation for the work. The following list of 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE 7 


books were all read by every teacher for the session of 
T0252 

How to Teach Religion, Betts (Abingdon Press) 

A Social Theory of Religious Education, Coe (Scribners) 

The New Program of Religious Education, Betts (Abing- 
don) 

Training the Devotional Life, Weigle and Tweedy 
(Pilgrim Press) 

Dramatization of Bible Stories, Miller (University of 
Chicago Press) 

Dramatization in the Church School, Miller (University 
of Chicago Press) 

The Curriculum of Religious Education, Betts (Abingdon 
Press) 

Childhood and Character, Hartshorne (Pilgrim Press) 

The Project Principle in Religious Education, Shaver 
(University of Chicago Press) 

Dynamics of Teaching, Tralle (Doran) 


During May, weekly teachers’ meetings are held for 
discussion and book reviews. By the first week in June 
each teacher has prepared in her notebook an outline of 
at least one week’s lessons for the various courses she 
is to present. Our aim is to have each teacher outline her 
work one week ahead and submit it to the principal for 
inspection, counsel, and suggestions. 


EQUIPMENT 


The entire church plant is turned over to the Sum- 
mer School of Religious Education for the session of the 
school. An attempt is made to convert an ‘‘orthodox”’ 
church plant into a modern schoolroom where the at- 
mosphere is pleasant, the surroundings agreeable and 


8 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


quiet, the work of the school undisturbed. Tables, 
blackboards, maps, pen and ink, and a loose-leaf note- 
book especially designed for the purpose are furnished 
the classes. Simple materials for use in dramatization 
are also furnished. The pupil brings nothing but an 
American Standard Revised Bible. We urge parents 
to buy a Bible for their child which may be his for life. 

It is amazing how much can be done with wholly 
inadequate equipment. The pupils rather enjoy the 
thrill of improvising ways to make things ‘“‘do” and co- 
operate to make the most of what they have. 


ENROLMENT 


About two weeks before the school begins (our 
school always begins the first Monday after the close of 
the public schools) a program of our Summer School of 
Religious Education together with an enrolment card 
(both of which are reproduced here) are sent to each 
pupil of our Sunday school, to every child previously 
enrolled in our Summer School of Religious Education, 
and to such other children as we have reason to believe 
would be interested in our project. The average enrol- 
ment for six years is two hundred and twenty-five and 
for the last year it was two hundred and fifty. 


The folder that is sent out contains the following: 


THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL 


To give the pupils the benefit of a thorough training in 
religion based on educational methods that are valid. 

To teach the pupils how to use the Bible for character 
building. 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE 9 


To help the pupils to a genuine Christian experience that 
will issue in faithful discipleship. 


THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL 


Rev. Miles H. Krumbine, Director 
Miss L. Daisy Hammond, Principal 
Miss Emma Kiefer, Director of Music 
Miss Mary Hoffman, Director of Dramatization 


Mr. John R. Burnett Mr. George Gries 

Mrs. Charles Brooks Mr. Miles S. Kuhns 

Mrs. Bruce Lloyd Rev. Miles H. Krumbine, Chairman 
Committee of Administration 


The teachers are listed by grades on the following pages. 
They are all experienced, both in Christian life and in the 
work of the teacher. They are well qualified. The teachers 
are all employed at a salary. 


THE OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL 


Sessions will be held daily (except Saturday) from 8:30 
A.M. to 11:30 A.M. 

Each pupil is expected to bring (daily) a Bible. We rec- 
ommend the “‘American Standard Revised Version.” No 
textbooks will be placed in the pupils’ hands—pupils of the 
high-school grade excepted. There will be no “home work.” 

The pupils of all grades will use notebooks very freely, 
both in Bible Study and Mission Study Courses. Maps, 
blackboards, pictures, and models will be used regularly. 

Immediately at the close of the morning session the 
pupils of the school will have a period of swimming, the boys 
going to the Y.M.C.A. pool and the girls to the Y.W.C.A. 
pool. 

Under the direction of Mr. Britton a program of recrea- 
tion to cover both the brief period of recess in the morning 


to A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


and the leisure time in the afternoon will be arranged. This 
program is entirely optional with the pupils. ( 


THE DRAMATIZATION OF BIBLE STORIES 


Beginning with Grade III and continuing through all 
the grades (and high school) the general principles laid down 
in the books by Elizabeth Erwin Miller, The Dramatization 
of Bible Stories and Dramatization in the Church School, will 
guide us in this form of Bible Story. Each grade has oppor- 
tunity, during the course of the school, to present at least 
one dramatization at the assembly period. The preparation 
of the Bible Story, including its division into scenes for 
dramatization, the selection of characters, the ae of 
costumes, etc., is all done by the pupils. 

On Satie morning, July 12, immediately at the close 
of this year’s session of the school, the pupils of the school 
will present a typical assembly program at the hour of the 
morning worship of our congregation. This program will set 
forth the work of the school, particularly in its devotional 
aspect. All of the pupils will participate. The members of 
the congregation are cordially invited to be present. 

This year for the first time a special director of religious 
dramatics will guide our work in this department. Miss 
Mary Hoffman will work with the various grades in the 
preparation of their dramatizations for the assembly period. 


THE DEVOTIONAL PERIOD, OR ASSEMBLY 


It is our belief that religious education, to be truly reli- 
gious, must dispose the mind of the pupil to worship God. 
To this end we regard the devotional period, or morning 
assembly, as the most important period of our school 
program. 

The entire school assembles each day at 9:55 A.M. for a 


THE WoRK OF THE EXECUTIVE II 


period of worship in the church auditorium. This period is 
conducted entirely by the pupils. Visitors are welcomed to 
the assembly periods. They are asked to come at least five 
minutes before the time set for the beginning of the devo- 
tional period and to bear in mind that they come to worship. 

The following is a skeleton outline of a program for the 
Devotional Period: 


I. Processional—Hymn—“‘Lead on O King Eternal” 
II. Call to Worship by certain grade 
III. Prayer by one of the pupils 
IV. Response 
V. Pledge to the Christian Flag 
VI. Hymn 
VII. Bible Story, Mission Story, Dramatization (on 
alternate days) . 
VIII. Pledge to the American Flag 
IX. Hymn 
X. Benediction 
XI. Recessional—Hymn—Kipling’s ‘‘Recessional”’ 


THE HyMN PERIOD 


The study of hymns is a part of the regular program of 
the school in all grades. For this period the school is divided 
into two parts. The time for the study of the hymns for 
each particular grade may be noted on the program on the 
following pages. 

Miss Emma Kiefer has charge of the Hymn Periods. 
“The Hymnal for American Youth,’ by H. Augustine 
Smith (The Century Company), is used for this purpose. 
The following hymns will be studied during the session: 
Hosanna, Loud Hosanna We Would See Jesus 


How Firm a Foundation Saviour, Like a Shepherd 
Saviour, Again to Thy Dear Name __ Benediction 


12 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Jesus Shall Reign Where’er The My Country ’Tis of Thee 

Sun God of Our Fathers 
Star-Spangled Banner America, The Beautiful 
Lead On O King Eternal We Praise Thee, O God 
Holy, Holy, Holy The Lord is My Shepherd 
I Would Be True Fling Out the Banner — 


THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL 


The Summer School of Religious Education is conducted 
and financed by the First Lutheran Church. Children from 
First Lutheran homes are especially invited to enrol in the 
course. The school is a community project, however, and is 
open without distinction to any child in the community. 
There is no charge of any kind for enrolment, the expense is 
cared for in the regular church budget. 

This Summer School of Religious Education was founded 
in 1920 and is therefore in its sixth year. The enrolment has 
maintained an average of 225, with a percentage of attend- 
ance that averages 93.2. The pupils represent the greatest 
variety of religious affiliation, as many as twenty-two differ- 
ent denominational groups having been represented in the 
sessions of the school. Usually half the pupils come from 
First Lutheran homes. 

The school for 1925 will begin June 15, to continue for 
four weeks. The courses of daily study are outlined by grades 
on the following pages. In addition a program of social 
helpfulness will be carried out by each grade during the 
period of the school. The character of this ‘service work” 
will be determined largely by the interest and desire of the 
pupils. 

Suitable discipline, essential to the succegs and efficiency 
of the school, will be maintained. A report will be issued at 

the close of the school. 


(Sz6r fo uotssas) uoyvonpy sno1syay fo J00yIy 4amuny ay J, 





14 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


THE COURSES OF DAILY STUDY 


KINDERGARTEN Miss Vinnie Davis, Teacher | 
8: 30—Prayer 
Opening Exercises 
Bible Study 
Thanksgiving for God’s Best Gift 
Jesus’ Boyhood 
Love Shown by Prayer and Praise, Kindness, Service 
and Obedience 
:oo—Rest Period 
:10—Table Period 
:45—Recess 
:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
:20—The Study of Hymns 
10:40—Nature Stories 
Mission Study: 
Eskimos—Our Little Friends Far Away, by Carroll 
11:00—Memory Work: 
Lord’s Prayer. Psalm 23 
11:15—Dismissal 


ono oO OO 


GRADE I Miss Thelma Williamson, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: ‘Graded Bible Stories,” Vol. I, by 


Mutch 
Sheep Stories Bird Stories 
Baby Stories Animal Stories 
Children’s Stories Tree Stories 
Memory Work: 
Lord’s Prayer. Psalm 23. Psalm too 
9:45—Recess 


9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—The Study of Hymns 
10:40—(1) Mission Study: 
Children of India—Chandra in India, by E. B. 
McDonald . 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE ‘he ES 


The American Indian—Indian Child Life, by Deming 
(2) Nature Study: 
God’s Wonder World, by Cobb 
11:00—Hand Work 
11:15—Dismissal 


GRADE IT Miss Doris Kuhlman, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: ‘‘Graded Bible Stories,” Vol. I, by Mutch 
Stories of House of God 
Stories of Good People 
Stories about Prayer 
Stories about Giving 
Memory Work: 
Psalm 100 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—The Study of Hymns 
10:40—(1) Mission Study: 
Children of Japan 
(2) Nature Study: God’s Wonder World, by Cobb 
11:00—Hand Work 
11:15—Dismissal 


GRADE III Miss Florence Kramer, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: “Graded Bible Stories,” Vol. II, by 
Mutch 
Childhood of Jesus 


Brother Stories 

Parent and Children Stories 

Friends of Jesus Stories 

Memory Work: 

Psalm 24. St. Matthew 19:13, 14, 15 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 

10: 20—The Study of Hymns 


16 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


10:40—Mission Study: 
Rules of the Game (Part I), by Lambertson 
Missionary Story Sermons, by Kerr 
The Dramatization of Bible Stories 
(Two lessons per week) 
11:10—Notebook Work 


11: 30—Dismissal 


GRADE IV Miss Irma Wellmeier, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: ‘‘Graded Bible Stories,” Vol. II, by 
Mutch 


Parables of Jesus 
Tales of Bondage 
Tales of Judges 
Memory Work: 
Psalm I. St. Matthew 5: 1-12 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—The Study of Hymns 
10:40—Mission Study: 
(1) Boys and Girls in Other Lands, by Mary Theodore 
Whitley 
(2) The Dramatization of Bible Stories. 
(Two lessons per week) 
11: 30—Dismissal 


GRADE V Miss Margaret W. Hendricks, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: ‘‘Graded Bible Stories,’’ by Mutch. 
Queen Esther 
John the Baptist 
Heroic Events in Jesus’ Life 
The Last Week of Jesus’ Life 


Tur WorRK OF THE EXECUTIVE t7 


Memory Work: 
Psalm 15 
Psalm 19:1, God’s Wonders 
Psalm 27:1, Thanksgiving 
Psalm 27:12, Protection 
Bible Drill 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—Mission Study: 
(1) “The Life of John G. Paton” 
(2) ‘The Life of Paul’ 
10:40—The Study of Hymns 
11:00—Dramatization of Bible Stories 


11: 30—Dismissal 


GRADE VI Miss Evangeline Lindsley, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: ‘‘Graded Bible Stories,’’ Vol. III, by 
Mutch 
Stories of Abraham 
Stories of Isaac 
Stories of Jacob 
Stories of Joseph 
Memory Work: 
I. Cor. 13, Isaiah 35 
Bible Drill 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—Mission Study: 
(1) The Life and Work of David Livingstone 
(2) Up from Slavery, by Booker T. Washington 
10:40—The Study of Hymns 
11:00—Dramatization of Bible Stories 


11: 30—Dismissal 


18 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


GRADE VII Miss Dorothy M. Protsman, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: 
“The Life and Work of Moses” 
Memory Work: 
St. Matthew 5: 1-16 
Bible Drill 
9:45—Recess 
9:55——The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—Mission Study: 
(1) The Book of Missionary Heroes, by Basil Mathews 
Raymond Lull, St. Francis of Assisi, James Chalmers 
(2) ‘Missionary Heroes of the Lutheran Church” 
10:40—The Study of Hymns 
11:00—The Dramatization of Bible Stories 


11: 30—Dismissal 


Grave VIII Miss Margaret E. Stace, Teacher 
8:30—Prayer 
Bible Study: 
(1) The Story of Our Bible, by Harold B. Hunting 
(2) The Making of a Nation, by Kent and Jenks 
Bible Drill and Memory Work 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—Mission Study: 
(1) A Labrador Doctor, by Wilfred T. Grenfell 
(2) Great Men of the Christian Church, by Williston 
Walker 


10:40—The Study of Hymns 
11:00—The Dramatization of Bible Stories 


11: 30—Dismissal 


THe Work OF THE EXECUTIVE 19 


Hicu ScHOooL Miss Mildred Ecki, Teacher 
8: 30—Prayer 
Bible Study: 
The Life of Christ, by Burgess 
(Used as guide) 
Reference Books: 
The Days of His Flesh, by David Smith 
Everyman’s Life of Jesus, by Mofiatt 
Map Work: Journeys of Christ 
Notebook Work: ‘‘My Life of Christ’’ 
9:45—Recess 
9:55—The Assembly for Morning Worship 
10: 20—(1) Dramatization of Bible Stories 
(2) Life of William Lloyd Garrison, by Chapman. 
(This is a discussion period) 


THE ENROLMENT CARD 


Hirst Lutheran Church 


(FOUNDED 1839) 
FIRST AND WILKINSON STREETS 
DAYTON. OHIO 


SUMMER SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
1925 ENROLLMENT CARD 


There are Classes for all Grades, including Kindergarten and High School 


School opens Monday, June 15, at 8:30 a. m., and will continue for 
four weeks daily, (except Saturday) from 8:30 a. m. to 11:30 a. m. 





Pupil receives at opening of school: 
1. A heavy brown notebook cover—g? X63” 


NN 





Summer School 
of 


Religious Education 
TRS 








First Lutheran Church 


DAYTON, OHIO 


NAME 


GRADE 


TEACHER 


DATE 


Srl 


S 
=> 
= 
= 
= 
=> 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
= 
=> 
= 
= 
= 
= 
SS 
= 
2 
= 


THE WoRK OF THE EXECUTIVE 21 


2. Grades III to high school filler of white paper—lined 

Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 filler of brown paper for 

mounting of pictures and hand work 

Pictures he will use in his Bible work 

Silk cord with which to tie notebooks 

. Large manila envelope, 9X12” in which he keeps his 
supplies 


abo 


Receives at close of school: 


1. Report card, 33 X6+”—Record of his work 






Pupil’s Name 





SUMMER SCHOOL 


. OF .. 


RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 





Reverence 


Obedience 
THE FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH 
(Founded 1839) Effort 
First and Wilkinson Streets, 
Dayton, Ohio Neatness 
Director; REVEREND MILES KRUMBINE Studies 
Principal: MISS L, DAISY HAMMOND 
Bible Story 
Miasion Story 


Report of: 
Story of The Bible-Hunring 
Address: 
Memory Work 


ae : ae 


Hymn Work 





AMUSO le Attendance 
Present 
Parents Signature: 


Absent 


Punctuality 








A—100-909 B—9%0-80 C—80-70 





22 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


2. Certificate—s5i x 81” 
Qimos|mao IaOI O —SS—SS SS Sores pr 


| Che Hirst Lutheran Church 





Bayton, Ohio 


Chis is to Certify, That 
has completed the course in th Grade prescribed by 
the Summer School of Religious Education, conducted by The First 





Lutheran Church, Dayton, Ohio. 


[o] 
Date of School: 


a 


The following outline of the clerical work done either 
by the teachers or the principal is reproduced here as the 
most suitable place to record it. The outline is self-ex- 
planatory. Our aim is to keep rather full records of our 
pupils. We solicit the co-operation of parents to this 
end. The response has been most satisfactory. 


CLERICAL WORK 
TEACHERS 





Daily: 

1. Attendance record to principal—33 & 54”” 
Please send attendance record to my 
office daily before 10:00 A.M. as follows: 
Name. eee 
Gradess = Shei ae 
No. Present 
No. Absent 
Total 
No. Gain 
No. Lost 


THE WorK OF THE EXECUTIVE 23 


2. Record Sheet—83 X11”. Retained until close of school: 


THE SUMMER SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS 
EDUCATION 
The First Lutheran Church, Dayton, Ohio 
June 15 to July 12, 1925 
INDIVIDUAL RECORD SHEET 
. Name in Full 
. Address 
MePelepionees eer ee. chin ov het eee tie 
«UBS e ya BG Rat rs a ee ee 
. Names of Parents 
. Occupation of Father 
. Public-School Grade for Past Year 
. Sunday-School Pupil, Attends Regularly at 


com Am BW ND 


g. Church in which Parents Hold Membership 


10. Has Pupil Been in Our Summer School of Religious 
Education Before?__.. When? 
11. Attendance: 
June 15; 16, 17, 18, IQ, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30. 
July I, 2, 3, 6, 7) 8, Q, 10. 


3. Notebook—outline of her daily work 
outline of her daily program 

Annual reports to Principal at close of school: 

1. Total enrolment by sex 

2. Church affiliation of each pupil 

3. Number of pupils and number of years they have at- 
tended our school 

4. A model notebook completed by one of her pupils 

5. Teachers’ notebook containing the complete outline of 
the work done in her grade 


24. A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


6. Record sheets from every pupil 
7. Dramatizations written in full 


CLERICAL WORK 
PRINCIPAL 
Daily: 
1. Attendance Record: 
Number of pupils 
Present 
Absent 
Total 
Gain 
Loss 
Percentage of attendance 
(Obtained by dividing number of pupils present 
by total enrolment multiplied by 100 per cent) 
Weekly: 
1. Prepare assembly programs for teachers 
2. Prepare hymn schedule for teachers 
3. Dramatization schedule for teachers 
Annual: 
1. Prepare final closing program as follows: 


THE ORDER OF MORNING WORSHIP 
SUNDAY, JULY 12, 1925 
10:30 o’clock 
BY SUMMER SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
Leader—Florence Miller, High School 
Flag Bearers—Roy Vordenfeld, Grade 8; Robert Kramer, 


Grade 8 
Processional—“‘Lead on O King Eternal”............... School 
School leads in’ Call to Worshipy.. i: «gies eee ee Grade 4 


“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness 
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts 
with praise.” 


THe Work OF THE EXECUTIVE 25 


Response—“*We Praise Thee, O God” 


Congregation will rise and join in: 

NEY 2 a Sea cen cise adhd oc sb 22 b> School-Congregaton 
Pet acct ee net See ae ow aes Robert Shively, Grade 8 
Response 


“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts 
Heaven and earth are full of Thee 
Heaven and earth are praising Thee, 
O Lord most High.” 
Pledge to Christian Flag 
“T pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Saviour for 
whose kingdom it stands, one brotherhood uniting all 
mankind im service and love.” 
Hymn 50qg—“How Firm a Foundation” . .. .School-Congregaton 
“How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord 
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word! 
What more can He say than to you He has said, 
Who unto the Saviour for refuge have fled? 
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed; 
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; 
Tl strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand 
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand. 
School and Congregation will please be seated. 
Bible Story—“Cleansing of the Temple” 
Elizabeth Cissna, Grade 6 
Hymn—“We Would See Jesus”. . Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2, and 3 
Mission Story—“St. Francis of Assisi” 
Hiram Protsman, Grade 8 


Offertory—“Angel’s Serenade”—Braga.............-- Orchestra 
_ Dramatization—“The Meeting of Livingstone and Stanley” 

Grade 6 
(The conversation is historically accurate) 


26 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Bible Story—‘‘First Beatitude”...... Dorothy Woodward, H.S. 
Hymn—“The Lord is My Shepherd”............... Girls Choir 
Bible Story—“‘How the King Came to Jerusalem” 

Virginia Kempf, Grade 5 
School and Congregation rise 
Pledge to American Flag 
Response—‘‘America, the Beautiful” 
Benediction 
Congregation be Seated 
Recessional—Kipling’s “‘Recessional”’ 


2. Statistics for year: 
Report 1: 
Number of pupils enrolled first day 
Number of pupils gained 
Total number pupils enrolled 
Total number pupils lost 
Total number at close of school 
Average daily membership 
Average daily attendance 
Percentage of attendance | 
(Obtained by dividing total number of pupils 
present by total enrolment multiplied by too 
per cent) 


Report 2: 
Number of pupils and the number of years they 
have attended summer school 
Attended one year 
Attended two years 
Attended three years 
Attended four years 
Attended five years 
Attended six years 


THE WORK OF THE EXECUTIVE 


Report 3: 
Enrolment by sex: 
Boys 
Girls 
Total 


Report 4: 
Enrolment by church affiliation 
Report 5: 
Total Enrolment by Grades 
(See Final Report) 


Report 6: 
Total Attendance by Grades 
(See Final Report) 


27 


CHAPTER II 


THE WORK OF THE PRINCIPAL; THE DIREC-- 
TOR OF MUSIC; THE DIRECTOR OF , 
RELIGIOUS DRAMATICS 


I. THE WORK OF THE PRINCIPAL 


Much of the success of a summer school of religious 
education such as ours is attributable to the skill and 
efficiency of the principal of the school. She has direct 
oversight of the teachers, who are responsible entirely 
to her. She in turn assumes responsibility for the allot- 
ment of time for dramatization periods, which of course 
means a shifting of classes so that the various classes 
can be turned over to the director of religious dramatics 
at suitable moments. (We have one director of religious 
dramatics for the entire school.) The principal makes 
up a weekly schedule one week ahead, assigning to the 
various classes their part in the assembly program. In 
other words, the teacher of any given grade knows a 
week ahead just when she is expected to present a pupil 
for a Bible story, or a mission story, or a prayer at the 
assembly program. The teacher of any given class 
knows two weeks ahead just when she is expected to 
present a dramatization by her grade at an assembly 
program. 

The principal too is held responsible for the physical 
equipment of the school. All needs are presented to her 


28 


THe WorK OF THE DIRECTORS 29 


in writing. The writer, who is the director of the school, 
feels deeply indebted to Miss L. Daisy Hammond, who 
has been the principal for five consecutive years. Miss 
Hammond has submitted an outline of the work of the 
principal which is herewith supplied. 


A. Organization 
I. Type of school 
Kindergarten 6—3 Plan 
II. Teachers 
a) Number needed 
1. Kindergarten 
2. Nine grade teachers 
3. Director of dramatics 
4. Director of music 
5. Director of recreation 
b) Selection based on 
1. Professional Training 
2. Experience 
3. Personality 
c) Placement depends on 
1. Type of Training 
2. Ability to handle a particular group 
III. Pupils 
a) Classification 
b) Placement 


B. Administration 
I. Supplies and Equipment 


a) Ordering Notebooks 
Tables and Chairs Fillers 
-Blackboards Pens 
Crayon Ink 


Erasers Paste 


30 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Maps Perry 
Scissors Pictures Wilde 
Material for Costumes Brown 


b) Distributing the above 
II. Schedules 
a) Application of time allotment 
b) Preparation of 
1. Daily classroom program 
2. Weekly assembly program 
3. Weekly dramatization schedule for classes 
4. Weekly hymn schedule for classes 
5. Final closing program 
III. Oversees attendance and conduct of pupils 
IV. Care of pupils before school opens 
V. Sees to the needs of teachers 
VI. Checking up permanent records 


VII. Application and use of course of study as outlined 
by director 
VIII. Direct teachers’ efforts along lines that will pro- 
duce best results 
IX. Maintain the school spirit 


II, THE WORK OF THE DIRECTOR OF 
RELIGIOUS DRAMATICS 


The director of religious dramatics has a room all to 
herself where the various classes meet her. She follows 
rather literally the principles and methods as outlined 
in Elizabeth Erwin Miller’s books, Dramatization of 
Bible Stories and Dramatization in the Church School, 
both of which are published by the University of Chi- 
cago Press. In her work she has the full co-operation, of 


THE WorRK OF THE DIRECTORS 31 
course, of the teacher of the class. Nothing further need 
perhaps be said. 

The following time schedule prepared by the prin- 
cipal and the director of religious dramatics, in co- 
operation with the teachers of the grades, may be of some 
service in the arrangement of this phase of the program. 


DRAMATIZATION SCHEDULE 


Monday: 
mcs a Grade IV 
9:20- 9:35 
10:25-10:40 Grade V 
ie ceeiee Grade III 
II:00-II:30 
Tuesday: 
8:30- QO:15 Grade VIII 
9:20- 9:35 Grade IV 
10: 25-10:40 Grade V 
SAS ae Grade III 
II:00-I1: 30 
Wednesday: 
8:30- 9:15 Grade VI 
0320—- 0:35 Grade IV 
10:25-10:40 Grade V 
ae Grade VII 
II :00-I1: 30 ‘ 
Thursday: 
ag ma Grade IV 
Q:20- 9:35 
10:25-10:40 Grade V 
10:45-I1:00 Grade III 
II:00-I1:30 Grade VII 


ce 


(Sz6z fo uotssas) [4 aposy 
{0 UO1vZVULDAGT 


isvaq suippayy oy fo yqvIvgq 


”? 





THE WoRK OF THE DIRECTORS 33 


Friday: 
Brae ay Grade VIII 
9:20-~ 9:35 
10: 25-10: 40 Grade V 
ade ae Grade VII 
II:00-II:30 


III. THE WORK OF THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC 


A teacher of music for the entire school is employed. 
She is a teacher of music in the public schools and carries 
on practically the same methods in use in the public 
schools. For the music period the school is divided into 
two sections. Grades kindergarten, I, II, and III, come 
into the church auditorium for the music period im- 
mediately after the assembly. Grades IV, V, VI, VII, 
VIII, and high school come into the church auditorium 
immediately following. Twenty minutes are set aside 
for this period each day. 

The following hymns taken from Augustine Smith’s 
Hymnal for American Youth (Century Co.) have been 
found quite satisfactory in our school. 


Lead On, O King Eternal 

Fling Out The Banner 

Savior, Again To Thy Dear Name 
Jesus Shall Reign Where’er The Sun 
Hosanna, Loud Hosanna 

We Would See Jesus 

Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us 
How Firm a Foundation 

The Lord Is My Shepherd 

I Would Be True 

God of Our Fathers, Known of Old 


34 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


It may perhaps be important to state that the fol- 
lowing Calls to Worship are used by the various grades 
at the period of worship. 


High School: 


Praise ye Jehovah 

Praise God in His sanctuary 

Praise Him in the firmament of His power. 

Praise Him for His mighty acts, 

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness 

Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah 

Praise ye Jehovah. 

Ps. 1502392; 6 

Eighth Grade: 


I will bless the Lord at all times; 
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
O magnify the Lord with me, 
And let us exalt His name together. 
HucuH HartsHorne, Manual for Training in Worship 


Seventh Grade: 


O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name; 
Make known His deeds among the people; 
Talk ye of His wondrous works, 
Glory ye in His holy name. 
Hucu HartsHorne, Manual for Training in Worship 


Sixth Grade: 


Let the people praise Thee, O God, 
Let all the people praise Thee, 
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, 


Let us exalt His name together. 
Psi\67:3 


THE WORK OF THE DIRECTORS 35 


Fifth Grade: 


O go your way into His gates with thanksgiving, and 
into His courts with praise. 
Be thankful unto Him, and speak good of His name. 
For the Lord is good; His kindness endureth forever, 
And His faithfulness unto all generations. 
HucuH HArTSHORNE, Manual for Training in Worship 


Fourth Grade: 


O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into 
His courts with praise. 
Hucu HArTSHORNE, Manual for Training in Worship 


Third Grade: 


Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, 
and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
HucuH HartsHorne, Manual for Training in Worship 


The benedictions chanted by the school are here- 
with presented: 


The Lord bless us and keep us, 

The Lord make His face shine upon us 
and be gracious unto us, 

The Lord lift up His countenance upon us 
and give us peace. 


Saviour, again to Thy dear name we raise 
With one accord our parting hymn of praise; 
We stand to bless Thee ere our worship cease; 
Then, lowly kneeling, wait Thy word of peace. 


The following is an outline of the music period as 
submitted by the director. 


36 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


We have two periods of intensive study of hymns. 
In the first period we have the little folks, from the 
kindergarten through the third grade. The children 
from the fourth grade through the high school meet 
together the second period. The methods used in these 
two periods differ considerably, but certain conditions 
must exist in both. 

In the first place there must be a pleasant atmos- 
phere, and a happy relationship between teacher and 
pupil. The emotions have so much to do with singing 
that it is very important to keep in a happy frame of 
mind. Children, or even grown-ups do not feel like sing- 
ing when they are forced or scolded into it. The desire 
to sing hymns does not need to be developed, as chil- 
dren naturally love to sing. Difficulties arise when the 
teacher has been careless. Perhaps she has drilled too 
long on a difficulty, or has not watched physical condi- 
tions and remedied them. 

It is necessary that the children be seated comfort- 
ably, that the air be good, and that the light comes in 
the right direction. We use our church auditorium and 
the children sit some distance apart in the pews. The 
feet of the little folks do not touch the floor, so it is nec- 
essary to have them stand frequently to rest themselves. 

The position of the children must be watched. They 
must sit or stand “tall,” with chests high, shoulders, 
back, while singing. We do not say much about “‘breath- 
ing’ but emphasize phrasing, and the breathing takes 
care of itself. We insist on a clear, light, floating head- 
tone, and clear enunciation. The rhythm must be fault- 
less; we watch particularly that phrases are not broken, 


"S6 som tvak ays 40f aauvpuayv fo aSvjuarsad aSvaaav ayy, *quasosd 
Sutag juauposua ays fo 4ua9 4ad 001—4oafdad svm pooyrs ajoym ays 40f a2uvpusyv ays aruvjsut siys uy *kvp ays 40f aauvpuayy 
poafiad v ayvaipur ssvja yove kQ patsivo s8vyf uvisstayy pyowus ayy, “ryssom fo porsad ays sof untsojipny yosny9 241 UT 


jo0yss ays fo kjquiassp” ay], 





38 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


or that the last notes of phrases are not slighted. We 
must get into the spirit of the hymn, being careful of the 
interpretation. 

Young children learn these things largely by imita- 
tion. It follows that the teacher must supply a good 
model for them. She must sing for them in her best 
style, watching the foregoing points and being very 
careful to use light head-tones, and never heavy, 
throaty ones. Her voice must sound as much like a 
child’s as is possible; the enunciation clear and the 
phrasing correct. 

A lesson for little folks would proceed as follows: 

First, we have a few moments of relaxation, using 
tone or eurythmic exercises that appeal to the child’s 
imagination or his instinct to play. For instance, instead 
of telling him to breathe, we allow him to “smell” a 
lovely pink rose; instead of having him sing vowels for a 
tone drill, we let him be the wind, or church bell, etc. 
Then we have the children sit in the correct position for 
singing. The teacher then sings the new hymn to be 
taught; then she talks a little about it, telling a few 
interesting facts but being careful not to take away the 
interest from the hymn itself. Then the hymn must be 
sung phrase-wise; i.e., the teacher sings a phrase, and the 
children imitate it. Combine two phrases and the chil- 
dren imitate. If there are difficult words or hard inter- 
vals, see that they are correct. After the first verse has 
been sung phrase-wise, the teacher should sing the entire 
stanza; then allow the children to sing it with as little 
help as possible. It is not well to play the accompani- 
ment while the children are first learning the hymn, as it 


THE WoRK OF THE DIRECTORS 30 


confuses them. The piano isa great help, however, facil- 
itating the learning, if the melody is played. As soon as 
the hymn is learned, the accompaniment should be used. 
Do not drill too much on the first presentation of a 
hymn. Leave that for subsequent lessons, when you pay 
greater attention to details. 

The lesson should close with the singing of a familiar 
hymn for the aesthetic pleasure, and for the necessary 
review. Sometimes, it is wise to pick a group or perhaps 
an individual to sing this song, in order to stimulate 
interest. 

The older children use the hymnals. As the song is 
sung by the teacher, they follow the words in the book. 
They sing by phrases also, until the hymn is learned. 
Sometimes we sing the hymn with a neutral syllable, as 
“loo” to unify tones. We watch the tone quality and the 
rhythm and drill on hard intervals or words. At the 
second lesson, start memorizing the words, phrase by 
phrase. Sometimes it is interesting to divide the class in 
two parts: Part I sings first phrase, Part II the second, 
etc. This makes the children alert and more careful of 
the words. 

We found that the children enjoyed part-singing 
very much, and did it quite well. We sang a hymn, “The 
Lord Is My Shepherd” to the tune ‘‘ Forsaken” in two 
parts, sometimes using the entire section, and sometimes 
picked voices. 

We also picked sixteen boys from grades IV, V, and 
VI for a boys’ choir. They sang the earliest of Christian 
hymns, “‘Shepherd of Tender Youth,” with the music 
by Jessie L. Gaynor, found in the Laurel Music Reader. 


CHAPTER III 
THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY. 


The Bible holds a foremost place in our curriculum. 
The first period each morning is given over to an hour 
of Bible study in every grade. 

Religion, we believe, can be taught. Jesus expected 
us to teach it. The experience of the race has been that 
the Bible is the foremost textbook of religion known to 
Christendom. As such we strive to make the most of it. 

In the eighth grade an attempt is made to give the 
pupil an adequate appreciation and understanding of 
the origin and nature of the Bible itself. For this purpose 
the first hour (the period for Bible study) is given over 
to a study of Harold B. Hunting’s, The Story of Our 
Bible (Scribners). 

In presenting an outline of our work during the 
period for Bible study the aim has been to present a 
typical Bible story (for each grade above II) as told by 
the pupil at a regular class period. Our method is to 
have the teacher outline the story first, after which the 
pupils, with the aid of the Bible and liberal discussion 
led by the teacher, prepare themselves to give the class 
their version of the story. It has been called the oral 
reproduction story-telling method. The pupils then out- 
line the story in their notebooks and paste in the picts 
suitable to that story. 

In the higher grades the discussion overshadows the 


40 


— en r. 


"sultas]tg ayy fo 8urpuvy ayy fo Kavuajzuarsay ays fo uo1jvsgajes ut ‘(oz6r fo uotssas) 149 
“uojkoq] “YIInYD UvdBYINT I841J ‘UotswINpY snorsyay fo yooyrg samung ays fo syrdnd aay-Kyuanas Kq popuasargy 


ako yIoyy sI4ag &q , YOog ays puv wtssjig ay], 





42 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


rest of the work, Not infrequently a single story will 


provoke discussion lasting over a considerable number 


of days. It is perhaps not out of place to remark that 
the teachers have set for themselves the definite aim of 
stimulating real thinking and avoiding anything that 
savors of mere ‘‘practice thinking.” The pupils’ ques- 
tions and opinions are honored and treated with the 
greatest respect. In no instance does the teacher try to 
force a conclusion. 

The danger that always besets us is that of trying 
to crowd too many stories into any given week. A story 
a day is too full a schedule to permit that sense of 
leisure which so stimulates spontaneous question asking. 
Three stories a week is quite satisfactory. 

A word about the source material ought be added. 
We have used Mutch, ‘Graded Bible Stories” (Doran) 
for the major part of our work. It has the decided ad- 
vantage of furnishing the teacher many helpful sugges- 
tions in the use of the biblical material, without at the 
same time relieving the teacher of the necessity to pre- 
sent the story in an original and attractive form. This 
series, however, leaves much to be desired. We are far 
from satisfied with the results that we have attained in 
our Bible work. 

A survey of the various courses of Bible study that 
are offered by the publishing houses leaves thé impres- 
sion that no single course has yet been designed which 
is adequate to meet our modern needs in religious edu- 
cation in the use of biblical material. The Constructive 
Study Series of the University of Chicago Press, in cer- 
tain phases of its work, is spectacularly brilliant and ade- 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 43 


quate. We have used Burgess, Life of Christ, and Atkin- 
son, Paul of Tarsus, with the greatest satisfaction. We 
have never seen anything equal to them. In the lower 
grades the material seems to be too advanced for the 
grade for which it is offered. In the main the criticism 
that Betts offers in his The Curriculum of Religious 
Education, of the various courses of study, seems sound 
in the light of our own experience. It is to be hoped that 
more serious attention will be given to the preparing of 
an adequate curriculum of Bible study for schools such 
as ours. The average church still clings fondly to the 
Bible as a source book for religious education and will 
not be too quickly persuaded to adopt a program of re- 
ligious education that does not give a very large place to 
the Bible. The average worker with plain people will con- 
tinue to search for adequate help in this field. I rather 
suspect that William Lyon Phelps is right when he says, 


Western civilization is founded upon the Bible; our 
ideas, our wisdom, our philosophy, our literature, our art, 
our ideals come more from the Bible than from all other 
books put together. It is a revelation of divinity and of 
humanity; it contains the loftiest religious aspiration along 
with a candid representation of all that is earthly, sensual 
and devilish. I thoroughly believe in a university education 
for both men and women; but I believe a knowledge of the 
Bible without a college course is more valuable than a col- 
lege course without the Bible. For in the Bible we have pro- 
found thought beautifully expressed; we have the nature of 
boys and girls, of men and women more accurately charted 
than in the works of any modern novelist or playwright. 
You can learn more about human nature by reading the 
Bible than by living in New York. 


44 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


The following listing by grades includes, first, a list 
of stories used during the four weeks’ session of the 
school, together with reference to the source material; 
second, a typical story; third, a list of pictures, by num- 
ber and publishing house, suitable to the particular 
story. The typical stories are pupils’ reproductions as 
told at the assembly period and reported stenographi- 
cally or as found in the pupils’ notebooks. It should be 
especially noted that these stories are reproduced 
exactly as the pupils told them. They thus serve as a 
criterion of the results secured. Obviously there are no 
stories available under Grade III. 


KINDERGARTEN 


The stories used in the Kindergarten are taken en- 
tirely from the very adequate book by Mary W. Ran- 
kin, A Course for Beginners in Religious Education 
(Scribners). The following stories were actually used 
during the last session of the school. 


A Mother Hiding Her Baby 

A Little Maid Helping Her Master 
A Little Boy Helping Jesus 

A Mother and Her Little Boy 
Samuel Helping in God’s House 
Widow’s Mite 

The Good Shepherd 

David the Shepherd Boy 
David and the Giant Goliath 
Angel’s Message 

Baby Jesus 

Visit of the Wise Men 
Christmas Bells 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 45 


Jesus Loving Little Children 
David and Jonathan 
A True Friend 


Suitable pictures are not difficult to find. ‘“The In- 
ternational Graded Lessons,” years one and two, fur- 
nish an abundant supply. 

It may be to the point to add that we accept chil- 
dren for the kindergarten that are four and a half years 
of age. Inasmuch as our grading follows the public- 
school grading, the pupil being in the grade in our sum- 
mer school in which he was in the public school during 
the year just ended, it is necessary that a child of four 
and a half come to kindergarten for two sessions of the 
school. We have found this very satisfactory. 


GRADE I 


BIBLE STORIES BASED ON Mutcu “GRADED BIBLE STORIES” 
Vol. I (Doran) 


PICTURE ILLUS- 
STORY TITLE SOURCE MS TRATING STORY 


The Man with 100 Sheep Luke 15:3-4 Perry 505 
The Lost Sheep Luke 15:3-7 Perry r100B 
The Shepherd’s Voice John 10: 1-6 Perry 505 
The Good Shepherd John 10:7-15 Perry 810 
David the Shepherd Lad I Sam. 16:10-13 Perry 3566 
The Baby Moses Exod. 2:1-4 Perry 6929 
The Babe of Bethlehem Luke 2:1-7 Perry 367 
The Song of the Angels Luke 2:8-14 Perry 797C 


Visit of the Shepherds Luke 2:15-20 Perry 620 
Visit of Wise Men Matt. 2:1-12 Perry 797D 


46 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


L 
STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIA TRATING STORY 


Birds and the Flood Gen, 8:6-12 Perry 3050 
Elijah Fed by the Ravens I Kings 17:1-7 
Jesus and the Children Mark 10:13-16 

Luke ‘18:15-17..\*Petry. 7070 


A Boy’s Lunch Basket John 6:1-14 Perry 684 

Ishmael and Hagar Gen. 21:8-21 Perry 3562 

Samuel and Hannah Tsam.132 Perry 866 
GRADE II 


BIBLE STORIES 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIAL Ree 
Rebekah Was Kind Gen. 24 Wilde 360 
to a Servant Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
Elisha II Kings 4:8-11 Wilde 660-62 
Mutch, ‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
Abraham Enter- Gen. 18:1-8 Wilde 562 
taining the Three Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Strangers Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
The Poor Widow’s Mark 12:38-44 Wilde 127 
Gift Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 


Vol. II (Doran) 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY we ay 


STORY TITLE 


Solomon Building 
a House of God 


Thankful Leper 


The Lost Piece of 
Money 


One Who Got 
More Than He 
Prayed For 


Peter Delivered 
from Prison 


The Good Samari- 
tan 


The Baby in the 
Manger 


The Shepherd and 
the Angels 


PICTURE ILLUS- 
TRATING STORY 
I Kings 5 Wilde 384 
Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 


Luke 17: 11-19 Wilde 688 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 

Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
Luke 15:8-10 Wilde 93 
Mutch, “Graded Bible 

Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 


Acts 3:I-I0 Wilde 282 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 

Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 


Acts 12:1-9 Wilde 600-601 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
Luke 10: 29-37 Wilde 466 
Mutch, ‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. II (Doran) 
Baker, The Bible in Wilde 13 
Graded Story (Abing- 
don Press) 
Baker, The Bible in Wilde to 
Graded Story (Abing- 
don Press) 


SOURCE MATERIAL 


48 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


STORY TITLE 


Jacob and Esau 


The Wayward Son 


Moses and Aaron 


David’s Care for 
His Parents 


The Boyhood of 
Jesus 

Christ among the 
Doctors 


Jesus’ Care for 
Children 
Jesus and the 


Woman of Sa- 
maria 


GRADE III 


BIBLE STORIES 


SOURCE MATERIAL 


Gen. 25:27-34 

Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 

Vol. III (Doran) 


Luke 15: 11-24 

Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 

Vol. III (Doran) 


Exod. 4: 10-16 

Mutch, ‘“‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 

Vol. III (Doran) 

T Samin28 10; 2201-5 

Mutch, “Graded Bible 


Stories” 
Vol. III (Doran) 


Marshall, Happy Half 


Hours with the Bible 
Luke 2:39-52 
Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. III (Doran) 


Matt. 19:13, 14, 15 


John 4:1-15 

Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 

Vol. III (Doran) 


PICTURE ILLUS- 
TRATING STORY 


Perry 685H 


Perry I100 


Perry gr71 


Perry 3591 


Perry 3571 





THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY AQ 


GRADE III 


Davip’s CARE FOR His PARENTS 


A. Teacher’s aim 


To instil in pupils thoughtfulness and kindness toward 
their parents, and to cause an increased respect for them. 


B. Procedure 


I. Questions which bring out statements such as ° 


IT. 


a) Kindness and affection of parents toward their 
children shown by 
t. Work of parents in providing food, clothing, 
and shelter 
2. Care which parents take to shield their chil- 
dren from danger 
b) Children can repay their parents by 
1. Being loving and kind 
2. Helping them at all times 
3. By caring for them as they grow older 


David’s care for his aged parents 

a) Aim is to show how David’s first thought was 
about his aged parents because they had cared 
for him and loved him as a child 


C. Conclusion 


1 


LT 


Do you think David thought he could take care of 
his parents without any help? 


What sentence in our story tells that David de- 
pended upon God? 


. Why did David trust in God? 
IV. 


When our parents become old as David’s did, what 
can we do for them? Will we help them cheerfully 
or will we be cross to them? 


so A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


DAVID’s CARE FOR His PARENTS 


David was a young, strong boy. He lived in the palace | 


of King Saul. He had helped King Saul very much when he 
was fighting his enemies. He was so strong and so brave that 
all the people liked him, and King Saul was afraid that David 
would be made king after him, instead of his own son. 
David knew that King Saul was beginning to be angry with 
him so he thought he would leave the palace. There weren’t 
very many places where he could hide, so he stayed in a 
large cave. A great many friends stayed with him, and others 
who had been wronged in the city came and joined him in 
this great cave. David finally had with him four hundred 
men, and he was the leader. 

David soon heard that there was to be a war in that 
country. He was afraid for his mother and father who were 
living in Bethlehem. He knew that his parents were in great 
danger, and his first thought now was to see that his parents 
were put in a place of safety. They had always taken care 
of him, and now he must take care of them. There weren’t 
many places where he could take his parents, because he was 
afraid they would be discovered. But the king of Moab, who 
was king in a land of peace, said David might bring his 
parents there. So David got his parents and took them to 
the king and said, “I pray that I may let my parents stay 
with thee, until I see what God will do for me.” So his 
parents remained with the king of Moab until David was 
able to take care of them himself. 


(Told by a boy eight years old.) 


During the last week of school the third graders 
were asked to write out briefly the one Bible story that 
appealed to them most. This story was selected by a 
majority of the class. One lad in stating why the story 


SS — 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 51 


appealed to him said, “I liked this story because David 
does care for his parents, and because David went to 
war.” Further comment is unnecessary. 


GRADE IV 
Brste Stortes BASED ON Mutcs “GRADED BIBLE STORIES”’ 


Vol. IV (Doran) 
PICTURE ILLUS- 


STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIAL ah Ra rae Sate 

Joseph and His Broth- Gen. 37:12-28 Wilde 368 
ers 

David and His Broth- I. Sam. 17:17-30 Wilde 475 
ers 


David and Jonathan ISam. 18:1-4;19:1-7 Wilde 478 
Mary and Martha Luke 10: 38-42 


Andrew and Simon John I: 35-42 Wilde 46 
The First Four Disci- Matt. 4:18—22 Wilde 47 
ples 

Our Elder Brother Matt. 12:46-50 

John 20:17 Wilde 161 
The Two Builders Luke 6: 27-49 

Matt. 7: 24-27 Wilde 654 
Love for Things Lost Luke 15:1-10 Wilde 103 
Seed in the Soil Luke 8: 4-15 

Matt. 13 Wilde 544 


Jephtha’s Daughter Judg. 11: 29-40 


Tue First EASTER 


A. Aim: To tell the beautiful story of the resurrection: 
that Jesus arose from the dead and that we also shall 
live after death. 


52 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


B. Discussion: 
How do you suppose Jesus’ friends felt when they saw | 
him crucified? 

What had Jesus told people about his death? 

Whom did the rulers send to the sepulchre? Why? 
What happened? } 

Were the soldiers frightened? Jesus’ friends wanted to 
do all they could for him, so they went to the tomb 
very early on the third day. 

Follow with the story 


C. Conclusions stressed: 
1. Jesus turned their sorrow into joy when he ap- 
peared to his friends. 
2. He appeared to his disciples and again told them to 
preach the gospel to all nations. 
3. The story shows us that we must not be afraid of 
death. 


THE First EASTER 


I am going to tell you the story of the first Easter morn- 
ing. All the friends of Jesus were sad because they had seen 
their beloved master die on the cross. They had taken his 
body and lovingly wrapped linen cloths about it and then 
laid it in a cave in a garden. In front of the cave a great rock 
was rolled, and around it stood soldiers who had been sent 
by the wicked men who had killed Jesus, because they did 
not want his body taken away by his friends. All that night 
the soldiers watched and all the next day and the second 
night they were still watching, but just as it was beginning 
to get a little light, there was a noise and a shaking of the 
ground as a beautiful angel from heaven came down and 
rolled the stone away. His face was as bright as lightning 
and his garments were as white as snow. The soldiers shook 
with fear and ran away. As they ran out one of the gates in 


Tue PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 53 


the garden some women were coming in another gate, walk- 
ing slowly and sorrowfully. They were friends of Jesus and 
were bringing fresh linen and sweet spices to put around his 
body. As they walked they talked in low sad voices. Jesus 
had died, they would never see him again they thought, and 
their hearts were filled with grief. They were wondering how 
they could roll the stone away from the cave, and raise the 
dead body of their master. It was still early morning and 
there was a faint streak of light in the sky, although the 
garden was still in darkness. But what was that bright shin- 
ing light in front of the cave? The women hurried forward, 
and what did they see? The stone had been rolled back, and 
by the rock stood a wondrous angel. The cave was empty, 
and the women were frightened. They could not understand 
what had happened. But the angel said, ‘‘Be not afraid, ye 
seek Jesus, who hung upon the cross. He is not here; he has 
risen. Go your way, tell his disciples he goeth before you and 
ye shall see him as he said unto you.” 

O how happy those women must have been. Hurrying on 
they told the disciples the Lord was alive. But the disciples 
could not believe that the wondrous news was true. 

Another friend of Jesus’ came to that garden. Her name 
was Mary and she had loved Jesus with all her heart because 
he had been very good to her in making her life, which had 
been black and bad, sweet and good. She came to the cave 
alone and the stone was rolled. back and stooping down she 
looked in. The body of Jesus was gone and sitting there were 
two angels in white, one at the head and one at the foot of 
the place where the body had lain. They were beautiful but 
she hardly noticed them, her heart was so full of sorrow. 
Then the angel said, “Woman, why weepest thou?’’ and she 
answered, “‘Because they have taken my Lord, and I know 
not where they have laid him.”’ Then she turned back and 
saw a man standing near her in the garden. Her eyes were 


54 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


so full of tears she could not see him plainly, so she supposed 
he was the gardener. And he asked her the same question the 
angel had, ‘“‘Why weepest thou?” And she answered him, 
‘Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast 
laid him.”” And the man said in a voice she knew and loved 


better than any voice on earth, ““Mary.”’ Do you know who ~ 


it was? It was Jesus. And when she heard his voice she 
turned and knelt at his feet and cried for joy, “Master.” 

And Jesus went to his disciples one by one, or two or 
three together, and at last they all knew that Jesus was risen 
from the dead—that he was alive. And they learned what 
we must learn and never forget; that Jesus arose from the 
dead, and that we and all whom we love shall arise also. 
And sometimes when we go to bed at night and it is dark and 
stormy, and we feel tired and a little lonesome, and when 
we get up in the morning the sky is blue and the sun is shin- 
ing—that is the way dying is; going to sleep when you are 
tired and waking up in heaven with Jesus. That is why Jesus 
came back that bright Easter morning, after he had died on 
the cross, to show us that death is nothing to be afraid of— 
it is just going’ to be with him. 


(Told by a girl nine years old.) 


GRADE V 
BIBLE STORIES 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIAL ATTRA 
Queen Esther Esther 1-10 Perry 4120 
Mutch, ‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 


Vol. V (Doran) 


i ie 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 5S 


STORY TITLE 


John the Baptist 


Jesus in the Desert 


The Cruse of Oint- 
ment 


The King Comes 
to Jerusalem 


The Last Supper 


Peter, the Unheroic 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


O 13) ERI 
PEE Red te tits TRATING STORY 


John 1: 19-34 Wilde 43 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible ~ 
Stories” 
Vol. V (Doran) 
Luke 4: 1-13 
Matt. 4: 1-11 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. V (Doran) 
Mark 14:3-9 Wilde 75 
Matt. 26:6-12 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. V (Doran) 
Stewart, The Shepherd 
of Us All (Revell) 
Stewart, Tell Mea True Wilde 130-33 
Story (Revell) 
Matt. 26: 30-75 
Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. V (Doran) 


THE COMING OF THE KING TO JERUSALEM 
A. Aim: To show the humility of Christ. 


B. Discussion: 


How did kings dress? 
In what did they ride? 
How did they act? 


Many people had heard of this king’s coming to 
Jerusalem, but had never seen him. Children had heard 


56 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


of his love and kindness and were eager to see him—to see 
how he was dressed and how he would come. ... . 
(Follow with story which brings out a child’s general 
conception of dress and mode of travel of kings and shows 
in comparison how Jesus came.) 
C. Conclusion: Jesus was so humble that even the little 
children knew him when he came. 


THE COMING OF THE KING TO JERUSALEM 


Once a great feast was held in Jerusalem and at the 
feast a rumor arose that Jesus was travelling along the road 
to Jerusalem. The news spread to Bethlehem and crowds of 
people flocked to meet him. Among them were many chil- 
dren who had never seen Jesus. 

“Will he wear a sparkling crown and ride in a volded 
chariot?” asked one little girl. ; 

“T think he will be a soldier king dressed in armor,” 
answered a boy. 

Just then some one cried, ““There he is.”’ The rider wore 
an armor. In his golden belt was a sword. His mouth was 
hard and cruel, and although he was dressed so beautifully 
and rode a prancing horse this could not be the king whom 
all men loved. 7 

Again the cry was heard: ‘‘Here he comes.” Up the road 
came a chariot driven by a man in glorious robes. He had 
two servants and from his girdle hung a pouch of gold. As 
the children pressed closely around his chariot he held his 
money bag closely as if they might steal it. The children 
said, ‘“The Christ is not like that.” 

The crowd then saw a procession coming down the road. 
In the procession were fishermen, a rich young ruler who had 
once been blind, but now had his eyes fixed on some one in 
the center of the procession. Riding on an humble ass was 
Jesus. And when he drew near, the crowd and the children 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 57 


were so joyful that they shouted “‘Hosannah.”’ The men 
threw their cloaks before the animals as they shouted: 
“‘Hosannah, to the son of David.’”’ Some of the people threw 
palm branches in his path while others waved them and 
cried, ““Hosannah, praise be to the King that cometh in the 
name of the Lord.” 

Some who hadn’t heard the rumor of the coming of 
Jesus asked ‘‘Who is this?’ and they answered, ‘‘This is 
Christ, the Prophet of Nazareth.’’ They followed Jesus to 
the temple. Then many had to leave him and return to their 
homes. But some stayed in the city to be near him and to 
listen to him. 


(Told by a girl ten years old.) 


GRADE VI 
BIBLE STORIES 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIAL nang STORY 
An Old Time Pilgrim Gen. 12:1-10 Wilde 561 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 


Vol. VI (Doran) 


A Friendly Neighbor Gen. 13:14 
Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 


Settling a Dispute Gen. 21:22-34 
Mutch, “‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 


58 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


PICTURE ILLUS- 


STORY TITLE SOURCE MATERIAL TRATING STORY 


A Fortune Envied Gen. 26:1-6, 12-14 
Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 
Deceiving an Old Man _ Gen. 27 Wilde 364 
Mutch, “Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 
The Fugitive ® Gen. 287322327 Wilde 366 
Mutch, ‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 
Who Shall be Master Gen. ' 32:22-32; 33; Wilde 706 
36:6-8 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 
The Dreams of Youth Gen. 37:1-10 Wilde 368 
Mutch, ‘‘Graded Bible 
Stories” 
Vol. VI (Doran) 
Cleansing the Temple Young Folks Bible Li- 
brary, Vol. VI 
“The Wonderful Story 
of Jesus” 


Jesus CLEANSING THE TEMPLE 
A. Teacher’s Aim: 
To teach the pupils to recognize that much that is 
done in the name of religion is not true worship. 
B. Pupil’s Aim: 
To learn to reverence God and to worship him. 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 59 


C. Discussion: 
How many boys and girls were in church last 
Sunday? 
Why did we go? 
What do we do there? 
How should we show our reverence for and love to 
God? 
D. Conclusion: 
We should come to God’s house to worship him and 
love him. 
Many people pretend to worship him when they 
really are trying to profit just for themselves. 


JESUS CLEANSING THE TEMPLE 


The story I am going to tell this morning is about when 
Jesus first began his work. When Jesus left his mother in 
Capernaum and journeyed down to Jerusalem for the Pass- 
over, would you not like to have been with him, and would 
you not like to have heard what they said to him and his 
replies, and would you not like to have heard them sing songs 
around the fireplace in the evening? When Jesus went to 
Jerusalem he stayed at John’s house, who they said had a 
very nice house there. He slept in the guest room, which is a 
tent on the housetop. As soon as possible the whole house- 
hold went to the temple. 

Can you picture twenty centuries ago, when the high 
priests let the money changers come into the temple when 
they came not for worship, but for profit. And they let the 
people come who sold sheep and goats and doves, and they 
did not come for worship either. And the money changers 
cheated the people. The reason money changers came to 
change money for the people was because the people coming 
from foreign lands had coin which was stamped with a 


60 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


heathen stamp, and so they could not put their money into 
the temple. Because the people were cheated they were very 
angry and they cursed and shouted and swore in the house 
of God. When the morning service was called the priests 
blew their silver horns for the people to come for morning 
worship. The Levites took their places on either side of the- 
altar which was ever burning to show the everlasting love of 
Jehovah. Behind this, suspended on the wall were rich gifts 
of gold and silver, and jewels, and in the center of this was a 
gold vine, on which were grapes, and which when the sun 
shone on it, dazzled the eyes. And more beautiful than all 
this was an embroidered cloth, behind which the priests went 
to light the incense on the altars. Often the priest would find 
a flaw in the offering brought to the sacrifice for Jehovah, 
and then they had to buy from the people that had things 
to sell in the temple, and the priests often made a profit 
themselves that way. 

Then we leave this place and go out to see the golden 
gate which was made of brass, and while we examine the 
portals, the throng gets so great that we are nearly lifted 
off our feet. And into all this, Jesus came when but twelve 
years old, to ask questions of the priests, and now he came 
a learned man. 

When he came into the temple there was a hush over the 
whole temple, and the love note of the dove could be heard. 
But little by little the people forgot his presence, and went 
on as bad as ever. Jesus walked by stall after stall until he 
came to a place where a Levite was cheating some people. 
When the Levite saw him he gathered up an armful of money 
and tried to shiver and shrink away. In taking the money the 
table tipped over, and the money went scattering. Jesus put 
his hand over his heart as if a heavy burden had fallen there, ~ 
and his face became seamed and scarred as if he had just 
left a bed of illness and agony, and his eyes filled too with 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 61 


indignation, as we know they would if he loved his Father, 
and taking up a few cords that lay on the floor of the temple 
he raised them and said, ‘““Take these things hence, make not 
my Father’s House a house of merchandise.”’ And with that 
he drove the people out of the temple, and the people drove 
the cattle before them. The people who had come to worship 


were glad. 


STORY TITLE 


Abraham 


Isaac 
Jacob 


Joseph 


Moses 


(Told by a girl eleven years old.) 


GRADE VII 


BIBLE STORIES BASED ON Mutcu, 
““GRADED BIBLE STORIES” 


Vol. VII (Doran) 


SOURCE MATERIAL 


Gen. I2:I-103 13; 14; 
21222—34° 23; 20:1-6; 
12-14 

Gen. 26: 26-33; 27; 28; 
32:3-21 

(yen 32 523-3 2°°33° 30> 
6-8; 35:1-7 

Gen. 373 393 41; 42; 435 
44; 45; 40; 47; 50:15- 
26 


Exod. 1-3; 12-133; 15; 
173; 19-20; 32-33 

Deuts'5;70; 

Num.’ 10: 29-323 12; 13; 
14:22-24 


PICTURE ILLUS- 
TRATING STORY 


Wilde 561 


Wilde 567, 366, 706 
Wilde 569, 606, 375, 


642 


Wilde 378, 380, 389, 
404, 403 


62 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


GRADESVILy 


TypE LEsson—SECOND LESSON ON MosEs 
Aims: 
I. Leadership 
a) Need at the time for a leader 
b) Fitness of Moses 

1. Reared in king’s household and knew condi- 
tions there 

2. Had the interest of his people at heart 

(a) People were slow to respond to his 
leadership 

3. Reluctance of people 

Much time was spent on discussions relative to the needs 
of a leader. Present-day situations were considered also. 
These arguments brought us up to the time Moses went to 
the Pharaoh to ask him to set free the children of Israel. 

c) Courage of Moses. 

1. Courage was needed to enable this man to 
continue leading these people when they were 
not too willing to be led and when so many 
obstacles had to be overcome. 

At all times we endeavored to interpret Moses and his 
problems by considering like problems of the present day. 


OUTLINE OF LESSON 
I. Moses’ birth 


a) Hid in bulrushes 
b) Reared in king’s household 
1. Mother was nurse 
2. The king was educating the very one whom 
he had most feared—a leader for the Chil- 
dren of Israel 
(2) Moses did not know yet that he was 
to be a leader 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 63 


c) Moses interests himself in Children of Israel 
1. Incident of the Egyptian smiting the Hebrew 
(a) Moses begins to feel himself a leader 
2. Incident of the two Hebrews striving together 
(a) His killing of the Egyptian made 
known 
d) Moses flees to land of Midian 
1. He was not ready yet to lead Children of 
Israel 
II. Need of leader for Children of Israel 
a) Every group of people needs a leader 
b) Israel’s need 
1. Someone to speak and act for them and de- 
liver them from their hardships. 


QUESTIONS ON LESSON 


1. Name a leader of some organization of which you are a 
member. 
2. Would this organization accomplish as much without him? 
Why? 
3. Why did the Children of Israel need a leader? 
4. What was the king’s aim in killing the sons of the Israel- 
ites? 
. Was the king’s aim realized by carrying out this mad rule? 
. Can you think of any unjust rule or order in which the 
aim has not been realized? Why? 


nN ur 


LESSON PROCEDURE 


This portion of the story was told in such a manner that 
the aims were stressed. An oral discussion followed based on 
questions asked. Some of the answers based on the ques- 
tions were: 

I. Some organizations mentioned were boy scouts, school, 

Bible school. 


64 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


II. These organizations could not accomplish as much 
without a leader. Reasons that one would naturally 
expect were given. 

Iif. The Children of Israel especially needed a leader for 
they were being imposed upon by the king of Egypt. 
Until they had a leader they would continue to be 
slaves. The pupils said that the laboring classes were 
working longer hours with less pay before the labor 
unions and organizations came into operation. In other 
words, their rights and interests were not considered. 

IV. The king’s aim was to weaken and make less mighty the 
Children of Israel and stop the possibility of anyone 
rising to the help of the Israelites. 

V. His aim was not realized. 

VI. Some of the unjust rules or orders in which the aim has 
not been realized as pointed out by the children were 

a) The king of England ruling that the people of 
England attend the established church of England 
b) The tax on tea by England 


GRADE VIII 


The period of Bible study in Grade VIII is divided 
into two parts. The first two weeks are devoted to a 
study of the origin and making of the Bible. For this 
purpose Harold B. Hunting, The Story of Our Bible 
(Scribners), is used to very great advantage. The course 
has been in our curriculum in this grade for the last 
two years. It provokes a great deal of discussion of a 
very satisfactory sort. Our aim, of course, is to give the 
pupils an insight into the facts and personalities having 
to do with the making of the Bible. 

The last two weeks are given over to a study and 


‘sitdnd ays ysim pouotdo st wvssord styy *soisvd ayy of 
juoysissv ayy fo uUotjIa4Ip 3Y] AaPUN INO Patssvs St satgiaijIv Itjaqysv fo wossoAd v uoOoUsII{o ay) SuLLNG 


wUvaT, []VGISV IY], 





66 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


discussion of the problems suggested by Kent and 
Jenks, The Making of a Nation (Scribners). As an illus- 
tration of the teacher’s procedure a typical outline of the 
discussion of the topic ““The Criminal and His Relation 
to Society” is submitted. This lesson unit covers four 
class periods. As source material the teacher used in 
addition to The Making of a Nation Blackmar and 
Gillin, Outlines of Sociology (Macmillan). 


LESSON UNIT 
““THE CRIMINAL AND HIS RELATION TO SOCIETY” 


I. Teacher’s aim 
1. To acquaint the children with conditions sur- 
rounding the criminal 
2. To acquaint children with 
a) Society’s attitude toward criminals 
b) Criminals’ attitude toward society 
3. To acquaint children with and interest them in 
methods of reformation 


II. The criminal and his relation to society 
1. The story of Cain—Gen. 4: 1-16 
a) Point of discussion 
(a) Responsibility of society for acts of its 
members 
2. Crime 
a) Is an offense against the laws of the land 
(a) Mild offense is a misdemeanor 
(b) Serious offense is a crime 
b) An act is not a crime until society pronounces 
it such by a formal law 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 67 


c) Cost of crime 
(a) Only an approximate cost can be given 
(b) One investigation showed $1,075,000.00 
(c) Influences tending to make a criminal 
(1) Most criminals are made before 
they are 21 years old 
(2) Causes 
i) Wrong education 
ii) Wrong environment 
ili) Wrong associates 
iv) Formation of wrong habits 
v) Failure of parents to guide 
children in development of 
(1) self-control, (2) respect 
for self and others, (3) 
sense of social and civic 
obligation. 
3. The criminals’ attitude toward society 
a) Every criminal act is anti-social 
b) Has been said by man of experience with 
criminals 
(a) Criminals do not feel remorse 
(b) Criminals excuse crime 
(c) Criminals will not acknowledge that the 
basis of all society is the recognition of 
rights of others 
(d) Always sorry for being caught 
(e) Criminals’ excuses 
(1) Society owes them a living 
(2) God has sent certain evil desires 
upon them 
4. Classes of criminals 
a) Instinctive 
b) Habitual 


68 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


c) Single offenders 
d) Accidental 
e) Political 
f) Occasional 
g) Criminals are classified in order to give proper 
punishments 
5. The way society deals with the criminal 
a) Must deal firmly and effectively 
b) Legislation and administration 
(a) To prevent further crime 
(b) As a warning to others 
c) The prevention and handling of crime 
(a) Prevention is the best cure for crime 
(b) Arouse parents to their responsibilities 
as parents 
(c) Home, school, church and_philan- 
thropic agencies should remove tempta- 
tions by 
(1) Providing proper 
i) Amusements 
ii) Education 
iii) Literature 
(2) Working together in reform 
measures 
d) Punishment 
(a) Why is it necessary to punish? 
(1) To protect society 
(2) To prevent crime 
(3) To reform criminals 
(4) To show that society does not 
approve of criminal acts 
e) Reformation 
(a) Best time to reform is before crime has 
been committed 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 69 


(b) Educate toward independent manhood 
and keep people out of such institutions 

(c) Improve home conditions 

(d) Provide for an education that will help 
individuals meet the problems of life 

(e) Help create a desire for church and 
Sunday school and right living 


At the conclusion of this discussion the pupils were 
asked to write essays on the criminal and his relation 
to society, stating particularly what change, if any, this 
discussion had made in their own attitude toward the 
criminal. These essays were in the main a filling out of 
the outline and did not display any exceptional orig- 
inality. The reactions of the pupils, however, were very 
gratifying. Several quotations follow: 


“T have gained a desire to help the criminal and give 
him better opportunity in life.” 

“T do not think criminals are as bad as some people 
think, for they have had bad companions, bad homes and 
bad education.” 

“Before studying the criminal I have always rather 
looked down upon the criminal but since we have studied the 
criminal, my attitude toward him has changed.”’ 

“My personal gain from this study has been that I am 
helped in my understanding of the criminal. I have learned 
the reasons for crime—the criminals’ attitude toward society 
—the classes of criminals—the way society deals with the 
criminal—the criminals’ punishment—and reformation.” 

“My attitude toward the criminal is that he cannot help 
sometimes being a criminal, but when he is a criminal by his 
own free will and is caught, he should not be killed or have 
a life sentence, but should be helped.” 


70 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


HIGH-SCHOOL GRADE 


The high-school course of Bible study covers a 
period of two years. The first year is given to the life of 
Christ,the next to the life of Paul. It is our experience 
that high-school students come for the two years. 

The teacher follows Burgess, Life of Christ (Univer- 
sity of Chicago Press), quite faithfully in her presenta- 
tion to the students. An elaborate outline is made by 
the pupils. On the basis of this outline the pupil writes 
“My Own Life of Christ.” This is an enterprise that 
develops a great deal of interest and at times consider- 
able originality. 

As reference material the following books are used: 

Burgess, The Life of Christ (University of Chicago Press) 

King, The Ethics of Jesus (Macmillan) | 

Smith, In the Days of His Flesh (Doran) 

Bruce, The Training of the Twelve (Hodder and Stough- 

ton) j 
The pictures illustrating the stories are as follows: 
Perry Pictures 802B 798E 797B 797C 


SII 797D 797F 800 
7972, to OTK e707 Li eer 
807 814 280 797U 
709 be cep Oad 797X 798 
798B 798D 


The following stories are stenographic reports of 
pupils’ presentations at the assembly period. 


Jesus’ First SERMON 
I am going to tell you this morning about Jesus’ first 
sermon. Jesus had been preaching, teaching and healing in 
the small towns and villages of Galilee, and especially along 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY 71 


the sea of Galilee and Capernaum. He had not visited his 
home town, Nazareth, to preach, but one day he decided that 
he would. I think that he returned with a great longing in 
his heart that the people there would understand his ideals 
for the Jewish nation, which was his nation. 

On the Sabbath day he went to the synagogue. The 
rabbi, in accordance with the custom, asked him to address 
the congregation. The scripture that was appointed for the 
day was from Jsaiah which said: 


The Spirit of the Lord is upon me 

Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: 
He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, 

And recovering of sight to the blind, 

To set at liberty them that are bruised, 

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. 


Now the Galileans have a name for being very patriotic. 
They loved to hear about their prophets and the prophecies 
they had for them. So when Jesus started to preach they 
expected a fine patriotic sermon from him. And Jesus began, 
“To-day has this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.’’ Not 
much of the sermon is recorded, but Jesus must have im- 
pressed all these people that his ideals for the country were 
the same as Isaiah’s; and he had come to help and comfort 
and to bring good tidings to the poor, and most of all to bring 
in the Kingdom of God. These words which he spoke created 
awe and wonder in the minds of his audience. “And they 
all bare him witness and marvelled at the words of grace 
which proceeded out-of his mouth.” 

But Jesus did not stop with telling his ideals, he made 
the people feel he was living them day by day, and would 
continue to do so. He told them that if they did not act 
upon the social ideals of the prophets, the promised blessing 
that was designed for. them they would lose and another na- 


72, A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


tion would enter into it. At this part of the sermon, the 
effect was spoiled by Jesus. People loved to hear of them- 
selves when Jesus spoke only of them, but when they knew 
that they would have to do something to obtain the promised 
blessing, their claims and praises turned to curses. But Jesus 
supported his words with scripture and told them of the time 
when there was a famine in Israel and Elijah, their prophet, 
did not go to the Israelites, but to Sidon to a widow. She 
received his blessing for her cruse of oil was never empty. 
Jesus also told them of another incident about their prophet, 
Elisha. And there were many lepers in Israel, but Elisha did 
not cleanse any of these, but turned away from the Jews and 
Galileans and cleansed the Syrian leper. He said they ignored 
the prophet, and other people, foreigners, had turned to the 
prophet and received the reward of helpfulness. At this the 
people were very angry and rose up and would have thrown 
him from the brow of a hill, but Jesus walked from the city 
unharmed. We do not know whether the personality of Jesus 
checked them, or whether their anger subsided before they 
reached the brow of the hill. 

Are we like those Nazarenes, ever ready to hear the high 
ideals—but are we always ready to practice them? 


Jesus’ PRAYER LIFE 


The first quality that makes for character and happiness 
is that of being poor in spirit; or as Jesus said it, “Blessed 
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” 

By poor in spirit, I think he meant the humble feeling 
that you have a deep sense of spiritual deficiency and de- 
pendence upon God. That Jesus was dependent upon God 
there can be no doubt. How often do we remember, “He 
withdrew into the wilderness—often on a lonely mountain— 
to pray.” This suggests an early habit of Jesus. With so 
many children in the family, and doubtless in a small 


Tue PERIOD OF BIBLE StuDY 73 


crowded home, privacy was almost impossible. But there 
was a hilltop in the back of the village where Jesus went to 
pray, and dreamed the dreams of youth. This helps us to 
understand Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness after his 
baptism, and the realization of his Messiahship. Those days 
of planning his life work alone were days of temptations, and 
only by close communion with the Heavenly Father could 
those severe temptations be overcome. 

Not long after we find Jesus carrying out his plans in 
Capernaum. It was the Sabbath day, and he was preaching 
and teaching in the synagogue, and in the evening he con- 
versed at the homes of his friends, healing many of the 
multitudes in the doorway. Such a day must have started 
out with a prayer to God, and he must have felt his Heavenly 
Father very near him during the day. Yet before the break 
of the next day we find that he went out into the wilderness 
alone to pray. 

Jesus taught and healed in Galilee, but he finally 
realized that the people were not understanding his message, 
but were merely amazed and interested because of the great 
miracles he had performed. So he decided the best thing to 
do would be to choose a small group of disciples, get them 
together and teach them by example what the kingdom of 
Heaven was to be. In order to choose wisely those who would 
of necessity be so close to him, he went to a mountain and 
prayed alone all night to God. These hours of communion 
were quite evident, although he did not say much about the 
duty of prayer to his disciples they gradually realized that 
this was his great source of power. They saw how prayer 
strengthened him and made a new man of him. Jesus’ public 
preaching was a nerve-taxing work that would tire out the 
strongest physique. But in prayer he regained his poise, his 
spiritual insight, and power, and was ready for another try- 
ing day. He never could have stood the burden of trouble, 


74 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


criticism of the Scribes and Pharisees and their persecution 
without the comfort and vigor he found in prayer. It was 
through this continual dependence upon God that the 
divine spirit flowed into his life. 


Practically the same method is followed in the pres- 
entation of the life of Paul. The teacher uses Atkin- 
son, Paul of Tarsus (University of Chicago Press), quite 
faithfully in the presentation of the story. An elaborate 
outline is again made by the pupils, on the basis of 
which they write their own account of the life and work 
of Paul. The pictures used to illustrate his life are those 
furnished by the University of Chicago Press for that 
purpose. 

As reference material David Smith, The Life and 
Letters of St. Paul (Doran), is the chief source. Since this 
course was last offered, the brilliant story by Henry, 
Paul Son of Kish (University of Chicago Press), has 
been published, and next year when the life of Paul is 
again offered we will certainly use it. Nothing better 
has been published. 

The following dramatization is a pupils’ presenta- 
tion of one of the dramatic moments in Paul’s career. 

This dramatization was prepared by pupils of the 
high-school class at the conclusion of a four weeks’ 
course of study in the life, work, and letters of Paul. 
The problem of costume was given a secondary place by 
all the participants wearing long white robes (chiefly bed 
sheets) while the matter of stage setting was ignored 
entirely. The lines spoken were the sole vehicle with 
which to convey to the school the spirit and character 
of Paul—that and the skill in impersonation of the 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY Vhs 


actors themselves. Every member of the class took part 
in this, as indeed in all of our dramatizations. 


PAUL BEFORE FELIX AND FESTUS 


Written and dramatized by the high school, Summer 
School of Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, 
Dayton, Ohio 

ACT I 

PLAcE: Castle grounds of Lysias 

CHARACTERS: Paul, Chief Captain, Centurion, Paul’s 
nephew, Felix, Ananias, Tertulius, Festus 

(Enter Paut while a great crowd is crying “Away with Him! 
Away with Him!’’) 

Paut (to CHEF CAPTAIN already present): May I say 
something unto thee? 

CHIEF CAPTAIN: Dost thou know Greek? Art thou not 
then the Egyptian who before these days stirred up to 
sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand 
men of the Assassins? 

PauL: I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no 
mean city; and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto 
the people. 

(When he had received permission, Pauw beckons unto the 
people and speaks in Hebrew language saying: “Brethren and 
Fathers,” etc., Acts 22:1-22.) 

Crowp: Away with him! Away with him! Away with 
such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should 
live. 

CHIEF CAPTAIN: Bring him hither into the castle to be 
examined by scourging, that we may know for what cause 
they so shout against him, 

(PauL is bound with thongs.) 


PAvuL: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a 
Roman and uncondemned? 


76 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


CENTURION (to CAPTAIN): What art thou about to do, 
for this man is a Roman? 

CapTaIN (to PAUL): Tell me, art thou a Roman? 

PAUL 4X ea: 

Captain: With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. 

PAUL: But I am a Roman born. 

(Thongs are removed. Exit PAUL with CAPTAIN.) 


ACT II 
PLACE: In Castle. 


CHARACTERS: Captain, Paul’s Nephew. 
(Enter PAUL’S NEPHEW with centurion before Captain.) 


CENTURION: Paul, the prisoner, called me unto him and 
asked me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath 
something to say to thee. 

CaPTaIN: What is it that thou hast to tell me? 

PAUL’S NEPHEW: The Jews have agreed to ask thee to 
bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though thou 
wouldst inquire somewhat more exactly concerning him. Do 
not thou, therefore, yield unto them, for there lie in wait for 
him of them more than forty men, who have bound them- 
selves under a curse that they will neither eat nor drink till 
they have slain him; and are now ready looking for the 
promise from thee. 

CapraIn: Go tell no man that thou hast signified these 
things to me. 

(Exit NEPHEW) 


CaPTAIN (to the CENTURION): Make ready two hundred 
soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, and horsemen, three score 
and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the 
night and provide beasts that they might set Paul thereon 
and bring him safe unto Felix, the governor. 


(A letter is sent from Claudius Lysias to Fevix. Exit CENTU- 
RION followed by CAPTAIN.) 


THE PERIOD OF BIBLE STUDY sb 


ACT III 


Prace: Castle of Felix. 

CHARACTERS: Felix, Paul, Tertullus. 

(Enter FELIx and sits on a throne. Enter Paut and CENTU- 
RION. Centurion hands letter to FELIX. FELIX reads the letter from 
the scroll. Acts 23:26-31.) 

FELIx: From what province art thou? 

PauL: I am a Jew, born of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen 
of no mean city. | 

FELIx: Keep him in Herod’s praetorium. 


(Five days later ANANIAS and elders come down to FELIX and 
with him TERTULLUS, an orator, who accuses PAUL.) 


TERTULLUS: Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, 
and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this na- 
tion, most excellent Felix, we accept it in all ways and in all 
places with all thankfulness. But that I be not further 
tedious unto thee, I entreat thee to hear us of thy clemency 
a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, 
a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the 
world, and a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who, 
moreover, assayed to profane the temple: on whom also we 
laid hold: from whom thou wilt be able by examining him 
thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof we 
accuse him. 

PAvuL: For as much as I know that thou has been of 
many years a judge unto this nation, I cheerfully make my 
defence: seeing that thou canst take knowledge that it is 
not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at 
Jerusalem: and neither in the temple did they find me dis- 
puting with any man or stirring up a crowd nor in the 
synagogues, nor in the city. But there were certain Jews from 
Asia who ought to have been here before thee, and to make 
accusation, if they had aught against me. Or else let these 


78 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


men themselves say what wrong doing they found when I 
stood before the council except it be for this one voice that 
I cried standing among them, ‘“Touching the resurrection of 
the dead I am called in question before you this day.” 

Fretrx: When Lysias, the Chief Captain, shall come 
down I will determine your matter. 

(Exit PAUL, CENTURION, ANANIAS, TERTULLUS, FELIX, and 
accusers.) - 


ACT IV 


TimE: Two years later. 

PLACE: at Caesarea. 

CHARACTERS: Festus, Centurion, Paul, first accuser, 
second accuser. 

(Enter Festus and sits on a throne.) 


Festus: (To CENTURION): Go hither and bring Paul. 

FIRST ACCUSER: This man hath spoken everywhere 
against the law of Moses. 

SECOND ACCUSER: Moreover, he brought Greeks also 
into the Temple and ‘defiled this holy place. 

PauL: Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against 
the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned at all. 

Festus: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem and there be 
judged of these things before me? 

PAUL: I am standing before Caesar, where I ought to be 
judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also 
very well knowest. If then I ama wrong doer, and have com- 
mitted anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if 
none of those things is true whereof these accuse me no man 
can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 

Festus: Thou hast appealed unto Caesar. Unto Caesar 
shalt thou go. 


(Exit CENTURION, PAUL, and FEstUs.) 


CHAPTER IV 
THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 


“Tdealization is the dynamic of moral conduct,” 
Cope tells us. Morality is learned by example a great 
deal more than by precept. The child mind thinks in 
images and not in abstract principles. Wherefore we 
spend half an hour each day in our school, studying the 
life of some person who has distinguished himself or her- 
self by actually living the ideals we are taught to cherish. 
We call it the period of mission study. Our characters 
are selected from the field of general humanitarian ser- 
vice. Our aim is to present the stories of the lives of 
these persons in the most vivid manner possible, with- 
out any attempt at preaching. The pupil depends en- 
tirely upon the teacher for the account of the life under 
discussion. The teacher aims to make very clear the mo- 
tives as well as the deeds of the missionary hero, and 
invites questions that reveal the impression made upon 
the pupil. 

The particular men and women selected for study 
are chosen from the fields of human relationships that 
will give to the pupil an appreciation of the problems 
of human life. In other words, when the sixth grade 
spends four weeks on David Livingstone and Booker T. 
Washington, it is of necessity plunged into the midst of 
the race problem. When the eighth grade investigates 
the life and work of Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfell, of the 


79 


80 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Labrador, the pupils of necessity appreciate modern 
scientific ways of helping as more to be desired than a 
mere sentimentalism. When the high school spends two 
weeks on William Lloyd Garrison, it cannot escape 
gaining a sense of the significance of social reform, and 
the value of liberty and freedom of speech. 

So far as it is possible we aim to combine our study 
of missionary heroes with our service day project. Each 
year sees special gifts made to the three missionary 
pastors of the First Lutheran Church by classes in the 
summer school who have been studying about the 
people in India and Japan. Dr. Grenfell has invariably 
received gifts from the eighth grade. Tuskegee Institute 
has received books and other gifts from the pupils 
studying the life of Booker T. Washington. The cor- 
respondence that is set up by such a process is in itself 
an interesting and helpful enterprise. 

In attempting to illustrate the mission work, it 
seemed best to cite the sources of material and various 
specimen copies of the stories as written out in the note- 
books of the various pupils. 


KINDERGARTEN 
MISSION STORIES 


A. Scandlin, Hans the Eskimo (Silver Burdett & Co., New 
York City) ; 

Mary Muller, Little People of the Snow (Flanagan Publishing 
Co., Chicago, Ill.) 

Nature Stories: 

Maud Lindsey, More Mother Stories (Milton Bradley Co., 
Springfield, Mass.) 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 81 


GRADE I 
MISSION STORIES 


In the first grade part of the time set apart for 
mission study was given over to nature stories. The 
source material is God’s Wonder World, by Cora Stan- 
wood Cobb (The Beacon Press.) 

Mission Stories: 
E. B. McDonald, Chandra in India (Little, Brown & Co.) 
Deming, Indian Child Life (F. A. Stokes Co.) 


GRADE II 


MISSION STORIES 
Nature Stories: 
Cora Stanwood Cobb, God’s Wonder World (The Beacon 


Press) 
Selections from Baker, The Bible in Graded Story ( Abingdon 
Press) ° 


Mission Stories: 
Perkins, Japanese Twins (Houghton, Mifflin Co.) 


GRADE III 
MISSION STORIES 
Floyd W. Lambertson, Rules of the Game (Abingdon Press) 


GRADE III 
THE STORY OF MOC 
If someone has done you a wrong and you want to do 
something for revenge, then you would feel just like Moc did. 


One April morning, very early, he went out of his cabin to 
see if he had a fox in his trap. And when he got there he 


82 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


found neither fox nor trap. Suddenly he saw the footprint of 
Cohan, the storekeeper. He knew it was Cohan’s print 
because he had a different print than any other man in town. 
Then he became angry, and heard a voice, and the voice said, 
“Tf thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsteth, give him 
to drink, and in doing so thou shalt heap coals of fire upon 
his head.” 

Then Moc went home very sad. When he got home his 
mother wanted him to go to the store and get her some tea. 
When he got to the store he met Cohan and said, ‘““Remember 
a good Indian never forgets.”’ } 

And then Cohan said, ““‘What do you want, half-breed?” 

Moc at this insult became very angry for insulting him 
in this way, and for stealing his fox and trap. But he got his 
tea and went home so he would not be late for mission school. 
When he came home from mission school in the afternoon, he 
went down to go out and get his father’s nets. When he was 
on the beach he heard screaming, and there was a crowd of 
women with Mrs. Cohan in‘ the middle. He saw them point- 
ing out to a dark figure in the sea. Moc knew that no young 
men were around, and the old men were afraid to risk their 
lives. So Moc rushed to his boat and rowed out. Then he 
pulled the dark figure in his boat and then rowed back. It 
took him about an hour to get to shore. 

Then some men took him in a nearby house, and Moc 
recovered and was ready to leave, Cohan opened his eyes 
and said, ‘Why did you risk your life for somebody that had 
done you wrong?” 

And Moc said, “Because I wanted to be a good Indian, 
and a good Indian always does good for evil. I have had my 
revenge.” 


(Told by a boy eight years old.) 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 83 


GRADE IV 
MISSION STORIES 


“Hero Stories’ (Junior Book for Work and Study Year II 
Part 1) 

Mary Theodora Whitley, Boys and Girls in Other Lands 
(Abingdon Press) 


CLARA BARTON 


I am going to tell you this morning about a little girl, 
Clara Barton. She was very timid while she was young, but 
she had an older brother named David, who tried to help her 
overcome this timidity. But while teaching her he fell 
through the top of a barn he was helping to build and became 
seriously injured. He was in bed for a long time, and she 
had to be his nurse, and she was shut up in the house so long 
that she became timid again. When he got well he started 
teaching her again not to be timid. After she had overcome 
most of this timidity she started to teach school. 

While she was teaching school, the Civil War broke out. 
And she saw the soldiers coming into the city, and she 
thought, “If I can get the supplies out to the soldiers instead 
of them coming into the city, I think we could save many 
soldiers.’”? So she went about asking people to help her to 
start an association so they could have the supplies out on the 
battlefield for the soldiers. But the people thought it was 
foolish. At last she met with some people that would give 
her money, and she could buy some supplies. She bought 
some supplies and got some wagons and started to the battle- 
field. But the wagon of supplies was at the last. They 
camped every night, but one night they camped earlier than 
usual, about three in the afternoon, and the man said he 
would not drive on into the night. And Clara said, “‘You had 


84 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL , 


better drive on a little longer,” and so they drove on further, 
and at last they came pretty near to the battlefield. She said 
to the man, ‘“‘You better go right ahead of the other wagons 
because they need us very much on the battlefield.” But the 
man said he wouldn’t do it. She said, ‘If you don’t, I will.” 
Finally she persuaded him to go on. So while the other 
wagons camped for the night, the wagon of supplies went on, 
and finally they got to the battlefield. They were needed 
very much on the battlefield, and Clara cared for the 
wounded soldiers and wrote home to friends and relatives for 
the dying soldiers, and she did so much good that they called 
her the angel of the battlefield. 

When peace was declared, she went to Europe, because 
she had not been well and she thought the trip would do her 
some good. When she was there France and Prussia were - 
having a war. On the battlefield they had an association just 
like she wished to see. They had the supplies right there. 
Clara thought she was dreaming, and she had to pinch her- 
self to see if she was awake. She saw how much good it did; 
the soldiers didn’t have to go off the battlefield before they 
could be cared for. 

So when peace was declared between France and Prussia 
she came back to the United States and asked the govern- 
ment to give her some money to start the Red Cross. They 
said it was a foolish thing to do, because there wasn’t any 
war, and she said, ‘‘Well, war isn’t the only thing. We could 
have the Red Cross for floods, cyclones and earthquakes.” 
At last they thought it was a pretty good thing to do, so they 
gave her some money, and she started the Red Cross. It was 
very small, and had just a few people working for it, but it 
did a lot of good, and she said, ‘‘Well I thought it would be a 
pretty good thing to do.” And it truly was. It was small 
then, but now we have a large association known all over the 
world, with many people working for it. And that is why we 


THE PERIOD oF MIssION STUDY 85 


look upon Clara Barton as being one of the greatest women of 
the earth. 
(Told by a girl nine years old) 


GRADE V 


MISSION STORIES 


The Life of John G. Paton, An Autobiography (Fleming 
Revell Co.) 

Selections from L. W. Atkinson, Paul of Tarsus (University 
of Chicago Press) 

Selections from Harold B. Hunting, The Story of Our Bible 
(Scribners) . : 


JOHN G. PATON 


The following story is a presentation by a pupil of 
the fifth grade, of a part of the life and work of John 
G. Paton, and was presented in the assembly period. 


This morning you are going to hear about John G. 
Paton. He was born in Scotland about a hundred years ago. 
His parents were very religious people. His father always 
wanted to be a preacher, but because he couldn’t be, he 
wanted his boys to be preachers. Three of them were. The — 
one I am telling you about is the oldest. He left school when 
he was about twelve years old. He worked to go to the Dum- 
fries Academy. He had to work for his education, When he 
grew to be a man he went to Glasgow to do mission work 
there. He had no place to hold his meetings so he held them 
in the street. Some of the merchants objected to this. They 
said he spoiled their trade, and told the police about it. But 
the police thought it was a good thing. After that the mer- 
chants came and listened to his sermons. He also taught 
school in Glasgow. One day a boy did not behave very well, 
so Mr. Paton gave him a good paddling. After that he only 


86 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


had to be kind to his pupils. He stayed in Glasgow about 
one and a half years. Then he went to some Islands in the 
Pacific Ocean to tell the savages about Jesus. He got many 
of them to believe in Christ through his kindness and love. 

A terrible fever had come along to these people in the 
islands. They thought that Mr. Paton had caused this 
through his preaching. One day as he was going from hut to 
hut helping the children, a native slipped up behind him 
with a killing club, and was going to kill him, when Mr. Pa- 
ton noticed this in time to save his life. He went back with 
this savage to his hut and gave him some medicine for his 
sick child. This savage also believed Mr. Paton had caused 
the sickness through his preaching. It must have been very 
hard to be kind to this savage who had tried to kill him, but 
he was. He did many more things for these people, but I have 
no more time to tell you. 

I like this story because he gave his life to helping others. 
Perhaps this was his motto: 

Others, Lord, yes, others, 
May this my motto be, 


Help me to live for others, 
That I may live like Thee. 


(Told by a boy ten years old.) 


GRADE VI 
MISSION STORIES 


Blaikie, Life of David Livingstone (Fleming H. Revell Co.) 

Rev. J. E. Chambliss, Life and Labors of Livingstone (Hub- 
bard Bros.) 

Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery (Doubleday, Page & 
Co.) 

“Who Is My Neighbor,” in In the Vanguard of a Race. 


THE PERIOD oF MIssIon STUDY 87 


This dramatization was the outgrowth of a two 
weeks’ course in the life of David Livingstone. Natural- 
ly every boy in the class wanted to be Livingstone. Skill 
in execution was to be the sole test. The issue finally lay 
between two boys. It was difficult for the class to decide 
which one to choose. Finally one of the boys in the com- 
petition himself insisted that he retire and take a lesser 
part because in his opinion the other boy ‘“‘did so much 
better.” That in itself was a character-forming experi- 
ence of real value. 

This dramatization was presented at a regular hour 
of Sunday morning worship of the congregation which 
was given over to the Summer School of Religious 
Education. 


IN THE FATHER’S SERVICE 


(the title chosen by the pupils for a dramatization of the 
life of David Livingstone.) Written and dramatized by 
Grade VI, Summer School of Religious Education, First 
Lutheran Church, Dayton, Ohio 


ACT I 


Pxtace: In the Livingstone room at the home of the 
Webbs. 

T1mE: Just before Livingstone’s third expedition to 
Africa. 

CHARACTERS: Agnes Livingstone, Mrs. Livingstone 
(David Livingstone’s mother), Mrs. Webb, Dr. Moffat, Mrs. 
Moffat, David Livingstone, Mr. Webb. 

(There are two right entrances: one up-stage, one down-stage. 
The left entrance 1s down-stage. A table right-center. Three chairs 
around the table: one behind it, one to the left and one to the right. 
A chair left-center.) 





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THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 89 


(AGNES pushes Mrs. LIVINGSTONE into the room in a wheel- 
chair which she places down-left. She arranges the pillows.) 

AGNEs: Are you comfortable now, grandmother? 

(AcnEs sits left-center.) 

Mrs. LivincsTonE: Yes, Agnes, quite. Thank you. 

‘AGNES: When do you think father will be back? 

Mrs. LIvINGsToNE: I don’t know, I’m sure. I wish he 
would plan to stay here instead of returning to Africa. I may 
never see him again. 

AGNES: Oh, I want him to go back. His work isn’t com- 
pleted and he wants to go back so much! 

Mrs. LivIncsToNnE: How like your father you are! 

(Mrs. WEBB enters down-right with a plate of cake.) 


Mrs. Wess: O, hasn’t Dr. Livingstone arrived yet? 

AGNES: No, not yet. 

Mrs. WEBB: I brought this cake in for him. You know 
he is so busy writing his book about the slave trade that he 
even forgets to eat. (To Agnes.) Won’t you have some? 

AGNES: No, thank you. Let us save it for father. 

Mrs. Wess: And won’t you have some? 

(Mrs. LIVINGSTONE shakes her head.) 

[There is a knock at the door (up-right).] 

Mrs. WeBB: Agnes, you may go to the door. 

(Mrs. WEBB goes to the chair behind the table, while AGNES 
admits Dr. and Mrs. Morrat up-right.) 

AGNES: O Grandmother and Grandfather Moffat, I’m so 
glad you have come. 

(They exchange salutations after which Dr. Morrat silently 
greets Mrs. LIVINGSTONE and Mrs. WEBB.) 

Mrs. Morrat: (Yo Agnes.) Has your father decided to 
return to Africa? 

AGNES: He wants to, but he hasn’t found anyone to 
support him. 


go A SumMER PRocRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Mrs. Morrat: Will you go along if he does go? 

AGNES: I should like to very much, but I must finish 
school. 

(Mrs. Morrar greets Mrs. LivINGsToNE and Mrs. WEBB.) 

(Mrs. Morrat sits on chair to the left of table which AGNES has 
made ready for her. DR. Morrat sits on the chair to the right of the 
table.) 

Dr. Morrat: Your father is a great man. There are few 
who are so unselfish and kind as he. 


(Acnzs tells the story of the loss of all their water supply on ae 
Kalahari desert.) 


Mrs. Morrat: He had great courage too. 

Dr. Morrat: Yes, I shall never forget the time that he 
was nearly killed by a lion. 

(AGNES finished the story of the lion.) 


Dr. Morrat: What determination he must have to 
think of returning to Africa again! 

(Mrs. LrvincstToneE tells the story of his childhood when he was 
punished for a wrongdoing by his father, and he took his punishment 
like a man.) 

Mrs. Morrat: David Livingstone is truly a great man. 

(The door up-right opens and Dr. LIvINGSTONE appears.) 

Mrs. WEBB: Oh, here is Dr. Livingstone now. 

(All except Mrs, LIVINGSTONE rises when LIVINGSTONE enters.) 


LIVINGSTONE: Good afternoon, Father Moffat. We 
weren’t expecting you so soon.. 

Dr. Morrat: We were anxious to hear of your plans. 

LivINGsTOoNE: Mother Moffat, it is good to have you 
here. 

Mrs. Morrat: Are you going back to Africa, David? 

LIVINGSTONE: I am not sure yet. I am looking for defi- 
nite news in the afternoon mail. 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY QI 


Mrs. LIVINGSTONE: Son, can’t you stay here with your 
family? 


(LIVINGSTONE crosses the stage and stands beside his mother.) 


LIVINGSTONE: No, no, mother. There is yet the slave 
trade. 

(He tells of great numbers of slaves fastened by fork-like affairs.) 

Mrs. WEBB: It doesn’t seem possible that such things 
are done to human beings! 

LIVINGSTONE: (Tells of a village set fire by Arabian 
traders from which only a few natives escaped:) You may 
think I exaggerate, but from what I have seen of slavery, 
exaggeration is impossible. 


(Mr. WEBB enters from right with letters.) 


Mr. WEBB: Here is the mail, Doctor. There are some 
letters for you. 


(LIVINGSTONE takes the letters and looks at them hurriedly.) 


LIVINGSTONE: Excuse me, folks, while I read this letter. 
It may contain news for me. 


(Mr. WEBB has crossed the stage and stands near Dr. MOFFAT.) 


Dr. Morrart: It is kind of you, Mr. Webb, to keep the 
Doctor and his family here with you. 

Mr. WEBB: We feel honored to entertain such a noble 
man in our home. 

Mr. LIvINGSTONE: Great news, folks. (Goes to center 
of stage.) I’m going back to Africa! 

AGNES: Going back! 

Mrs. Morrat: Who is to support you? 

LIVINGSTONE: I am to head an expedition sent out by 
the Royal Geographical Society to discover the sources of 
the Nile. 

Dr. Morrat: (Rising and advancing.) Congratulations, 


92 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


David. I am glad you are going because I know that is 
what you want to do. 

LIVINGSTONE: Thank you, father. 

Mrs. Wess: But what has that to do with the slave 
trade? 

LIVINGSTONE: Of course, I shall be a missionary first. 
But can’t you see that if we can open Africa to commerce, 
slave trade will soon be unprofitable? The natives have been 
led into slave trade because of their desire for articles of 
European manufacture. If in return for these articles the 
natives can sell their cotton and coffee there will be no place 
for slave trade. 

Mrs. LivincstonE: But David, your family! I should 
think you would prefer to stay with your children. 

LivincstonE: If I were to follow my own wishes, I 
should spend most of my time with my children; but the 
Heavenly Father calls me to regions beyond. In my case, 
mother, duty calls me back to Africa, and to Africa I 
must go. 

Mr. WEBB: You are the bravest man I know, Doctor. 

LivINGsTONE: I will go any time, any place, so long as 
it is forward. ; 

Dr. Morrat: Your book, which you are writing, will 
show the people the horrors of the slave trade. 

LIVINGSTONE: Yes, yes, my book, I must finish it. 

AGNES: We will help you, father. Mrs. Webb and I will 
help you copy your journals. 

(Mrs. WEBB rises to go. LIVINGSTONE and AGNES help Mrs. 
LivIncsTonE. They exit left.) 


Mr. Wess: Dr. and Mrs. Moffat, may I show you our 
home? This is the house in which the poet Byron lived. 
Dr. Morrat: We should like very much to see it. 


(They exit up-right.) 


THE PERIOD oF MISSION STUDY 93 


ACT II 
SCENE I 


PrLAce: Africa—Manyuema. 

Time: Third Expedition. 

CHARACTERS: Slave girl, David Livingstone, Susi, 
Chuma, Gardner, African trader, and Arabian Trader. 

(The stage is empty. LIVINGSTONE enters down-right followed 
by Susi, CHuMA, and GARDNER.) 

LIVINGSTONE: If there is one thing I am determined to 
do, it is to crush the slave trade. But all my efforts seem use- 
less. I have but opened Africa to the slave trader. 

Sust: We will help you, Doctor, in your work. 

CuuMA: You have brought God to us. 

GARDNER: Think, dear master, of how many of our 
people have accepted Jesus because you have taught them. 

LIVINGSTONE: Yes, yes. You may be right after all. 
Surely God will help us as He has so often done before. 
Gardner, you had better go to the village and ask the chief 
for permission to pass through his territory. 

GARDNER: Yes, master, I will go. 

(He leaves down-left.) 

LivincsToneE: I hope he lets us pass through, for I think 
I am near the sources of the Nile. If I can just hold out until 
I can find the Nile sources! I must go this way. 

Susi: To go back would be a hard journey. 


LIVINGSTONE: Yes, because we have few supplies and 
no medicine at all. 

(Enier ARABIAN TRADER and slaves from down-right. The 
slaves remain huddled in a group up-right.) 

TRADER: (Advancing.) Greetings, friend. 

LIVINGSTONE: Good afternoon. What can I do for you? 

TRADER: I overheard you saying that you need sup- 
plies. I will gladly sell you some. 


94 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


LivincsTonE: But I have no money with which to buy. 

TRADER: You have men to sell. (Pointing to Susi and 
Chuma.) 

LIviINcsTONE: What? I, sell my men! I will not sell a 
man though my life depend upon it. With God’s help, I am 
trying to stamp out this miserable trade. No! No! I will not 
stoop to encourage it. 

TRADER: You must be Livingstone about whom I have 
heard. 


(Enter GARDNER down-left, who prostrates himself before 
LIVINGSTONE. ) 


GARDNER: Master, I will stay that you may go on. 

LIVINGSTONE: Why, what do you mean? 

GARDNER: The chieftain has promised to let you go 
through and will give you supplies in return for one of your 
men. I will stay. 

LIVINGSTONE: No, no. Never. 

GARDNER: But the chief threatens to kill us all if you 
do not agree. 

LivincstonE: Then if it is God’s will that I die thus, so 
it must be. 

ARABIAN TRADER: Though you and I are not of one 
religion, I admire and respect you. The great father of all is 
Allah. I cannot see you left alone, helpless and without food 
or medicines. Come along with me and I will take you safely 
through the country. You area sick man. My servants will 
make a litter for you and they will carry you. 

LIVINGSTONE: God has touched your heart. I have none 
of this earth’s goods to pay you, the Heavenly Father sees 
your good deeds and will reward you. 

ARABIAN TRADER: Let your men prepare your things, 
while I get ready to move on. 


(ARABIAN TRADER leaves with his slaves from down-right.) 





THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 95 


LIvINGsTONE: God hears our prayers. Surely the love of 
Christ can carry the missionary where the slave trade carries 
the trader. 


(A slave girl enters from down-right.) 


SLAVE GIRL: Save me! O, save me! 
LIVINGSTONE: Surely I will help you. What is the 
trouble? 


(AFRICAN TRADER approaches from down-right.) 


SLAVE Girt: Oh! Here they come. I will be sold as a 
slave! 


(Slave girl hides behind Livingstone for protection.) 

Susi: I know that man, master. He is an African chief. 

LIVINGSTONE: Perhaps you can talk to him. Tell him 
that it is wrong to sell this girl into slavery. 


(Susi goes to African trader and converses in a low tone. Con- 
versation takes place up-right. It is inaudible.) 


LIVINGSTONE: And now, my little girl. What has hap- 
pened to you? 


(SLAVE GIRL fells her story.) 
(Sust comes back to LIVINGSTONE.) 


Susi: Master, this man says that if we will strip this girl 
of her beads and trinkets and give them to him, we may have 
her, 

LIvINGSTONE: Take her beads and give them to him. 


(Susi removes ornaments and hands them to man who leaves, 
admiring the bracelets and putting them on his arms. 


Sust: I know some relatives of this girl, master. They 
live in the next village. 

LIVINGSTONE: You need not fear, little girl. You shall be 
taken with us in safety to your home. Susi, watch that no 
harm comes to her. If my work should lead to the suppres- 


96 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


sion of the slave trade I would esteem that a far greater feat 
than the discovery of all the sources of the Nile. 


(All leave before LIVINGSTONE gives last sentence. Then LIv1Nc- 
STONE leaves down-right.) 


ACT II 
SCENE II 


Time: On the Third Expedition. 

PLAceE: Near Ujiji 

CHARACTERS: Livingstone, Susi, Chuma, Stanley, and 
Cameron. 

(The stage is empty except for a tree-stump or box near center. 
Note: The tree stump can be made by nailing bark on a properly 
shaped box.) 

(LIVINGSTONE enters supported by Sust and CuumaA.) 

SusI: Sit here, master, in the shade of the tree and rest. 

LtvincsTonE: I have been waiting for these for many 
long years. Thank God, He has not forgotten me. Ah, these 
letters. I must read them when alone. 

STANLEY: Dr. Livingstone you are ill. What can we do 
for you? 

LivincsTonE: Nothing. News from home and the sight 
of you are more than medicine to me. But come into my 
house to rest. I will read my letters while the men unpack. 
Then we can talk together. 

(They exit down-left.) (CAMERON and STANLEY support Liv- 
INGSTONE.) 


ACT II 
SCENE III 
PLace: Near Ujjiji. 
Time: Four months later. 
CHARACTERS: Livingstone, Stanley, Susi, Chuma. 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY Q7 


(There is nothing on the stage. LIVINGSTONE and STANLEY enter 
arm in arm, from down-left.) 

LIVINGSTONE: Stanley, these four months we have been 
together have been like a glimpse from home. You have been 
a great comfort tome. Now the time has come when we must 
say goodbye. I am sorry to see you go. 

STANLEY: I am sorry to leave you. But, Doctor, need we 
part? Won’t you come back with me? Your friends and 
family want you. 

LIVINGSTONE: No, I should like to see my family and 
friends very much indeed; my children’s letters affect me in- 
tensely, but I must not go home. I must finish my task. 

STANLEY: But, Dr. Livingstone, think what you are giv- 
ing up not to go back to England. All the world is waiting 
for you. You will be a famous man when you return. 

LIVINGSTONE: Fame is nothing to one who is working 
in the Master’s service. I am determined to crush the slave 
trade and bring Christianity to these black people, and my 
efforts are not yet complete. 

STANLEY: But you have already opened Africa to the 
world. Others will follow where you have led. 

LIVINGSTONE: Then it is not for me to stop now. No, no, 
Stanley, my mind is made up. Much as I would like to see 
my family, I feel that my life belongs to Africa. Come, here 
are my letters and my journal which I trust you to carry back 
to the outside world. If, through these discoveries, people are 
aroused and steps are taken to crush slavery I shall feel that 
that will have been my most important work, more vital 
than all my discoveries. 

STANLEY: I am honored that you trust these to my care 
and will gladly take them with me. 

LIVINGSTONE: Then I am sending with you my notes 
and observations as well as most of my instruments. See that 
they are given to the Royal Geographical Society, and do not 


98 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


forget what you promised me yesterday: to send to me from 
Zanzibar, men upon whom I can depend. 

STANLEY: J will do everything you wish. But I dread to 
leave. These days with you have been an inspiration to me, 
too. 

LivINcsToNE: But you must return to carry back my 
messages. 

STANLEY: Yes, yes. Where are Susi and Chuma? 


SUSI AND CHUMA: (Running on stage from down-left.) 


Here we are, master, here. 

STANLEY: Men, you have been good friends to me dur- 
ing my stay here. But I am leaving in your care your great 
master. He has a pleasant voice and is kind. When did you 
ever see him lift his hand against an offender? When you 
were wicked, he did not speak to you in anger; he spoke to 
you in tones of sorrow. Now, will you promise me that you 
will follow him, do what he tells you, obey him in all things, 
and not desert him? 

SUSI AND CHuMA: We will, we will, my master. 

STANLEY: Now, my dear doctor, the best of friends must 
part. You have come far enough with me. If you are de- 
termined not to return with me, let me beg of you to turn 
back. 

LIvINGsTONE: Well, I will say this to you: You have 
done what few men could do, far better than some great 
travelers I know. I am grateful to you for what you have 
done for me. God guide you safe home and bless you, my 
friend. Susi and Chuma, see that the master’s things are 
ready. 


(Susi and Cuuma leave down-left.) 


STANLEY: May God bring you safely back to us all, my 
dear friend. Farewell. 
(They shake hands.) 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 99 


LIVINGSTONE: Farewell. 

(STANLEY turns to go while LIVINGSTONE stands, watching him 
wistfully. SEANLEY turns and waves a final farewell just before he 
extts down-left. LIVINGSTONE responds, then he turns and bows as 
though in prayer. Raising his head he says softly as he goes out): 

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my 
help. My help cometh from the Lord which hath made heaven 
and earth. (Pause) My help cometh from the Lord. 

(LIVINGSTONE exits down-right.) 


EPILOGUE 


Livingstone’s death occurred several weeks after 
the departure of Stanley. Susi and Chuma were so 
grieved that they cut the heart out of Livingstone’s 
body, and buried it beneath a tree, at the head of which 
they erected a little white cross. They wrapped Living- 
stone’s body in a bolt of calico and carried it along on 
their shoulders. An African chieftain found out that 
they had Livingstone’s body, and said he would take 
their lives if they did not bury the body there. So Susi 
and Chuma wrapped a stick in calico and buried it. 
During the night they escaped with Livingtone’s body. 
As they neared the coast they came across an expedi- 
tion headed by Oswald, Livingstone’s son. The party 
wanted the body of Livingstone, but Susi and Chuma 
would not give it up until they had seen it buried in 
England. Many honors were bestowed upon them. 

David Livingstone gave his life to teaching the 
Africans Christianity, and to stamping out the terrible 
slave trade. The nations of today are quarreling over 
Africa because of its wonderful products, and the 
Africans are not all Christianized. 


100. )60A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


Did David Livingstone open Africa to profiteering 
and strife? Yes, but he also opened it to more mission- 
aries. I wonder if we here in America cannot do some- 
thing to improve this great dark continent? 


He climbed the steep ascent to Heaven, 
Thru peril, toil and pain; 

O God, to us may grace be given, 

To follow in his train. 


GRADE VII 
MISSION STORIES 


Basil Mathews, “St. Francis of Assisi,’ in The Book of Mis- 
sionary Heroes (George H. Doran Co.) 

Basil Mathews, “Story of Raymund Lull,” in The Book of 
Missionary Heroes (George H. Doran Co.) 

L. B. Wolfe, “Adam D. Rowe,” in Missionary Heroes of the 
Lutheran Church (The Lutheran Publication Society) 


ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI 


The story I am going to tell you this morning is about 
St. Francis of Assisi. One evening a group of young men 
stepped from a house and started down the street in the 
little city of Assisi. They were singing love songs of Italy. 
Suddenly a rich voice rang out, singing a song in French. 
“That is Francis, the wild spendthrift,” one neighbor would 
say to another. “He spends his money freely and wears the 
finest clothes. His father is but a cloth merchant.” 

A few nights later Francis did not sing for he was ill with 
fever. His mother nursed him and at times she thought her 
son would not live. But finally the fever left him and one 
day, on tired and aching limbs he crept outside. While in bed 
he had thought how wonderful it would be to get out and 
have a good time again. But when he did get out it was quite 





THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY IOI 


a different thing. For the things he had enjoyed formerly did 
not appeal to him. He crept back inside, not knowing how to 
spend the rest of his life. 

One day a friend of his who was going to war took 
Francis along. They had not gone more than thirty miles 
until Francis was again stricken with fever. While he was 
lying in bed the love of God came into his heart. So when he 
recovered he went up into the mountains and found a church 
that was falling to pieces. And then the Lord spoke to 
Francis and said, ‘‘You see my house going to waste, buckle 
up.and rebuild it.” 

Francis went down to the village, saddled his horse and 
ladened it with rich garments. He then drove to the next 
town and sold them and the horse too. He trudged back to 
the monastery and gave the priest the purse. But the priest 
would not accept it without Francis’ father’s consent. 
Francis’ father heard of this and pursued Francis. His father 
was willing to give Francis spending money but he would not 
give a cent to help carry out God’s command. Francis fled 
to a cave where he remained until he made up his mind to 
go back to the village and face it all. When he arrived in the 
village the people began to laugh at him and call him a mad 
man. When his father heard this he ran out to join in the 
merry-making and you can imagine his surprise when he 
found it was his own son. 

Francis was dragged into the house and locked up. He 
remained locked up until his mother let him out. Then 
Francis clad in rags started to roam over Italy and preach 
about Jesus. 

About this time the Christians were fighting for the 
Holy Land. Four crusades had gone. The fifth was about to 
go and Francis was to go with it. When they arrived in Egypt 
the commander-in-chief began to array his men for battle. 
Francis’ eyes were filled with tears as he thought of the great 


102 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


massacre that was to take place. At that battle about 6,000 
Christians were either killed or taken prisoner. It was then 
that Francis took leave of the crusaders’ army and started off 
for the Sultan. When he gained admittance to the Sultan he 
said he had come to preach about Jesus. The Sultan called 
his wise men about him and said: ‘Here is a man who has 
come to teach us a new faith.”’ His advisors laughed and said 
_ that there was but one God, Allah, and Mohammed was his 
prophet. Francis asked for a fire to be built and said that he 
would walk into it with the king’s advisors, and the result 
would show whose God was the true God. The Sultan would 
not hear to such a trial for faith and so Francis was dismissed. 

There is a legend that the Sultan, while lying on his 
deathbed, called for a disciple of Francis’ to pray for him. 

It is not for his work in the Crusades that he is best 
known, but for the good he and his followers did among the 
poor and needy in Italy and other countries of Europe. 
When Francis gave up his former way of living for that of 
going about dressed in poor clothing, without any money, to 
preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, he attracted many young 
men to him. Some of these later became his followers. A 
Brotherhood was established whose aim was to go up and 
down the country and help the sick and needy. It is because 
of his work in the Brotherhood and for his lovable character 
that we know and admire St. Francis of Assisi. 


(Told by a boy twelve years old.) 


GRADE VIII 


W. T. Grenfell, A Labrador Doctor (Houghton Mifflin 
Co.) 

Lee, With Dr. Grenfell in the Labrador (Mead Publishing Co., 
New York City) 

W. T. Grenfell, Adrift on an Ice Pan (Houghton Mifflin Co.) 





THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 103 


W. Walker, “Martin Luther,” from Great M en of the Chris- 
tian Church (University of Chicago Press) 


DR. GRENFELL 


Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfell was born February 28, 1865, at 
Chester Bay, England. He was much interested as a boy in 
life, such as the water, sand, birds and fisher folk. 

At fourteen he entered Marlborough College and won 
a scholarship, also he was a great athlete. Later he entered 
the University of London and studied medicine. He started 
work in London Hospital, having nine hundred beds. In the 
midst of the poor people, he became interested in Welfare 
Work in London slums. The hospital gave him further 
chance to study the needs of the poor. He became very inti- 
mate with his Sunday-school boys by spending vacations 
with them. He also became interested in fishermen of the 
North Sea. So he left the hospital and spent the next few 
years working with them. 

In 1886 he became a member of the College of Physicians 
and Royal College of Surgeons of England. 

The needs of the Labrador called him. He had many 
interesting and dangerous experiences. Among them are the 
Ice Pan Adventure, the Children’s Home, Adventures in a 
Launch, The Home Waters of the Delaware, and Slums and 
Sea Scapes. 

Dr. Grenfell became interested in the people of the 
Labrador because of their many hardships and needs. The 
fisher folk were religious, honest and law-abiding, although 
they were ignorant because of isolation. These people lived 
on poor diet. Flour made into bread or mixed with water and 
fried, or boiled, salt pork, black molasses and strong tea. 

Grenfell has made several daring raids and driven out 
liquor and sale of liquor in the Labrador. Since 1892 condi- 
tions have changed almost beyond imagination due to Dr. 


104 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Grenfell’s work. He has accomplished the establishment of a 
Medical Mission with hospitals at St. Anthony, Battle 
Harbor and Indian Harbor. The conditions of Labrador are 
constantly being improved. The hospital at St. Anthony has 
running water, a furnace and electric lighting system. At St. 
Anthony Mission, there is an orphanage, industrial house, 
guest house, and co-operative stores. 

Grenfell has done much in the medical line to help the 
people of the Labrador. He and his right hand man, Dr. 
Little, have won great reputation in their surgical work. His 
crowning achievement in his work has been the establish- 
ment of King George V Seamen’s Institute. Though Dr. 
Grenfell limits his work he cannot do as much as he wants to. 
His territory covers about 100,000 square miles or more in 
Labrador. He is untiring in his efforts, and has helped many 
by the establishment of the Medical Mission and King 
George V Seamen’s Institute. His outstanding traits of char- 
acter were his patience and endurance. I think that he is 
a very great man and that his work is very much appreciated. 


(Told by a boy thirteen years old.) 


HIGH SCHOOL 
MISSION STORIES 
John Jay Chapman, “William Lloyd Garrison” (Aélantic 
Monthly) 
Kirby Page, ‘““A Chapter on Garrison” in a forthcoming 
book 
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON 
For two weeks the high school spent the time as- 
signed to it for the mission study period discussing the 
life and work of William Lloyd Garrison. This discus- 
sion was based on the book by Chapman together with a 


Tue PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 105 


chapter in a forthcoming book by Mr. Kirby Page in 
manuscript form. The discussion developed a great deal 
of difference of opinion and landed the class in all kinds 
of disagreement. 

At the conclusion of the period each pupil was asked 
to write a brief account of Garrison together with the 
impression that he now held concerning him. Two of 
these essays are attached. 

During the course the teacher outlined the career of 
William Lloyd Garrison with such discussion of social 
attitudes then prevalent as seemed essential to a full 
understanding of the work of Garrison. By the time his 
character came to be estimated, the pupils had a rather 
adequate notion of the nature of his task. It is on the 
basis of this knowledge that the difference of opinion - 
concerning Garrison is interesting. When the point of 
development of his career was reached where a South 
Carolina postmaster confiscated and destroyed his 
papers, the class was landed in the midst of a sharp dis- 
cussion on freedom of speech. Opinions varied as the 
following sentences indicate: | 

“We ought to be allowed to say just exactly what we 
think—to write what we think.” 

‘Freedom of press should be the right to write any- 
thing you want to whether it is true or not. That is up 
to you.” 

“There is a limit to everything. There is a limit to 
what you can say and write, and freedom of press 
doesn’t mean just freedom of everything. During the 
war if anyone spoke against the President he was 
prosecuted. During the Civil War there was a man here 


106 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


in Dayton who said something about the government 
and he was prosecuted and had to flee to Canada.”’ 

“There is a limit to everything. It is up to the gov- 
ernment to set the limit.” 

At this point the matter of constitutional guaranty 
of freedom of speech and press was introduced, and the 
question raised whether that was an adequate protec- 
tion. | 

Pupil: “It would be a good thing to go by the Con- 
stitution, for if we are not going to go by the Constitu- 
tion we ought not have one.” 

One pupil admitted that our forefathers were not 
perfect and undoubtedly made great mistakes. He sug- 
gested that in their day they probably had no problems 
such as we have and therefore they could guarantee 
freedom of speech, but that that was no argument why 
we ought to have it today. 

Pupil: “They may not have needed a limit for their 
age, for this age it is different and there must be a differ- 
ent set-up on freedom of speech.” 

The general conclusion was that freedom could be 
permitted up to a point where the person claiming that 
right could be described as inciting to revolution. 

The matter of the pupil’s attitude toward Garrison 
and men like him was taken up. There was an astonish- 
ing agreement of dislike toward him. Typical phrases 
by which pupils described their dis-affection for Garri- 
son were as follows: ‘“Too rash in some of his views. 
Don’t like him. Can’t explain. He doesn’t appeal to 
me.” “I don’t like his manner and his way of going 
about things.”’ “Mussolini is the same as Garrison was. 


EE 


THE PERIOD OF MIssION STUDY 107 


He stirs up trouble but he isn’t accomplishing any- 
thing.” 

Garrison was not without his defenders. One pupil 
says quite frankly: ‘‘I rather like him, the way he does 
things. He has strong opinions which he expresses, and 
he changes other people’s minds. He explains so well 
that he changes other people’s minds.” One boy says, 
“T admire him for his courage and foresightedness, but 
that’s all I can say for him. I don’t like his other char- 
acteristics. I think he might have accomplished more 
by a different attitude. Lincoln accomplished things 
and he wasn’t that sort of man; Wilson too.” 

An interesting conclusion was later agreed to at the 
conclusion of the course. The pupils seemed to think 
that, to use one of the pupil’s own words, ““When a man 
knows his country is in the wrong he ought to say what 
he thinks about it. I don’t think a man has much cour- 
age if he beats around the bush.” 

The class also felt that there was a strong similarity 
to Jesus in the general attitude that Garrison took 
toward moral affairs. Jesus’ attitude toward the Scribes 
and Pharisees was cited in proof. Below is listed a story 
that was written extemporaneously without any chance 
for much thought, and in which the pupil was asked 
specifically to state his attitude toward Garrison with 
reasons therefor. This story then presents a fairly good 
reaction of the pupils to the career under discussion. 


WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON 
William Lloyd Garrison was born somewhere in a New 
England state in 1805. He was the eldest of three children. 
The mother and children were deserted by their father who 


1o8 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


was a sea captain, when Garrison was quite small. He was 
apprenticed to a manufacturer at the age of nine. When he 
was ten he was sent to a cabinet maker. He then was ap- 
prenticed to a printer. This proved to be his work, and when 
twenty-one he was an editor and publisher. About this time 
he met and became associated with Benjamin Lundy who 
had been an abolitionist for 13 years. Garrison then estab- 
lished his own anti-slavery paper, the Liberator. He started 
this paper without capital or subscribers, and with only one 
assistant. It was by means of this paper that he became a 
source of abolition influence. By this paper he aroused the 
whole country to thinking about the rights—if there were 
any—and wrongs of slavery. He was the one man of influ- 
ence to arouse such people as Prudence Crandall, Elijah 
Lovejoy, Cassius Clay, Wendell Phillips, and Samuel May, 
to courageous actions according to their convictions. Be- 
cause of his fiery speeches against slavery he was perhaps the 
most bitterly hated man of his time. At twenty-five he was 
convicted of libel. He was the object of many mobs and was 
constantly denied freedom of press and speech, which he de- 
fied repeatedly. It was very hard to obtain a public hall in 
which to speak. Rewards for him were immense; they some- 
times went as high as $20,000.00. 

The man Garrison seemed to be a peaceful quiet sort of 
man, but when aroused on the subject of slavery he was 
terrible in his manner. His source of power was the Bible, 
which he quoted repeatedly. He also prayed, and I believe 
that is why he accomplished what he did. Garrison was con- 
sidered by those who knew him, a delightful man and gen- 
erous, considerate, magnanimous, and a man of complete 
faith in God’s power. 

I think the reason we studied the life of Garrison in our 
school is because of his outstanding personality. He was 
different from any other man of his time. He wasn’t afraid to 


iii i i ee i 


THE PERIOD OF MISSION STUDY 10g 


stand up for what he believed despite the fact that the public 
was against him. We have only heard the one side of Garri- 
son’s life from this story of him but there is another. He was 
kind and loving to his enemies as well as his friends. He 
listened to their views on the subject of slavery when he had 
the opportunity and he sympathized with them. He led a 
very religious life though no one would have thought so from 
his speeches because of the startling statements he made. 
But there is still the one outstanding point in his life and that 
is he changed a country from the wrong kind of peace to a 
country of turmoil. | 

At first I didn’t like him. But as I studied him and his 
ideas and ideals more, I have grown, not to like him, but 
rather to admire him. It is true that he was fiery on the 
slavery question, but surely a man who took the Bible as the 
source of his power and faith must have background enough 
to be as radical as he seemed to be. Even Christ had to be- 
come more or less fiery with the Scribes and Pharisees when 
they rebuked him so often. So I believe my conclusion would 
be that I like him, and that for a wrong less far-reaching than 
slavery he might have been able to go at it less radically; 
but with slavery I believe, as he did what he believed right, 
that he was right. I also believe that the time will be, when 
William Lloyd Garrison will be considered the popular hero 
of the pre-Civil war period. 


Extract from another pupil’s notebook: 


I like Garrison very much. He was a man of power, go, 
and influence. He believed in freedom of speech. Whatever 
he thought he expressed. It takes people like him to get re- 
sults. There were probably other people that had better 
ideas but were afraid to express them for fear they would be 
ridiculed. 


CHAPTE RAY 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 


What would any kind of a school be like without 
dramatizations? Certainly no school of religious educa- 
tion in these days has reached its highest development 
until it has had a definite experience with this helpful if 
not indispensable method of education. The impulse to 
act things out is as native to children as the play in- 
stinct. The Bible stories are a constant and irresistible 
temptation to the play-acting impulse of childhood. 
The educational value of the dramatization of Bible 
stories and mission stories is certainly on a par with, if 
not superior to, any other pedagogical method. This is 
due perhaps chiefly to the fact that it is a method that 
conspires directly with the interest and attention of the 
pupil. The children love to dramatize their Bible stories. 

One of the most satisfying developments in modern 
church life is the renewed interest in the use of the 
drama for the setting forth of religious truth. It bodes 
well for the future. If to the chastening of our religious 
ideas we can add this new technique of dramatic expres- 
sion we may well hope for an emotional quickening of 
our ideals that ought to go far in the development of 
Christian character; more especially in view of the fact 
that modern dramatization is so largely confined to chil- 
dren and is not for propaganda purposes but for the 
pure love of expressional activity. 


IIo 


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112 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


The modern school of religious education can do no 
better than to adopt in toto the methods and principles 
outlined in the two books by Elizabeth Erwin Miller, 
The Dramatization of Bible Stories and Dramatization in 
the Church School, both of which are published by the 
University of Chicago Press. From the very beginning 
we have sought to incorporate the teachings of these 
books in the work of our school, and with the appearance 
of each new book on dramatization we turn back to the 
books by. Mrs. Lobingier (Elizabeth Miller) with new 
satisfaction. The principles are sound and the method is 
convincing. The unvarying testimony of the children at 
the end of each year’s school is, ‘‘without dramatization 
the school wouldn’t be nearly as attractive as itis.” The 
added advantage of this method of dramatization lies in 
the fact that any teacher can apply it. It does not re- 
quire any special technical training. For five years the 
work was carried on by the teachers of the classes at a 
regular period set apart for the purpose. During the last 
year a special teacher of religious dramatics was em- 
ployed but it is not at all necessary to have a specially 
trained person in such a capacity. The dramatic work 
can be carried, and perhaps with better results, by the 
regular teacher of the class. 

It is perhaps enough to say in this chapter that the 
dramatizations listed grew directly out of the work of 
the various classes. If it is a dramatization of the career 
of Queen Esther it is because the fifth grade was study- 
ing about Queen Esther in its Bible work. If the story 
dramatization is about the Prodigal Son, it is because 
the high-school grade had just studied that story in its 





ueen Esther” 


Dramatization of “Tales of 


Grade VI (session of 1920) 


114 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Bible hour. If the life of David Livingstone is set forth 
it is because the sixth grade spent two weeks on that 
life in its mission study period. 

It becomes evident at once that ample opportunity 
is given to grasp the meaning and significance of the 
various stories to be dramatized. Long periods of discus- 
sion and analysis with not a little argument and differ- 
ence of opinion on the part of the pupils always precede 
any definite effort at dramatic presentation of the story. 
In the course of the years we have tried various methods 
of preparation of the stories for dramatization, In the 
high-school grade we have frequently had every pupil 
write the dramatization, or again we have had little 
groups co-operate in writing the scenes, after which the 
class decided among themselves which was the best 
dramatization. In the lower grades we invariably reach 
the final stage without writing at all. Third- and fourth- 
grade pupils do better if they simply speak their inter- 
pretations over and over again until the best form is 
reached. The teacher then writes out the conclusion. 

The choice of actors for the various parts is always 
determined by the class itself, the assignment being 
made to the pupil who is most capable in that particular 
part. We have had ever so many instances where a cer- 
tain pupil would himself suggest that one of his fellows 
was better able to perform the part that he had chosen 
for himself. This method involves every pupil learning 
each part. 

The costumes are of the simplest and are usually 
gathered by the pupils themselves with the guidance and 
instruction of the teacher. There is, of course, the usual 


En 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION Eis" 


search for information in encyclopedias and in Bible 
Dictionaries about the manners, customs, and dress of 
the ancient Hebrews. For the king’s robe a gorgeous 
piano scarf does very well. For the usual robe of the 
patriarch, bed sheets are quite satisfactory. Other cos- 
tumes are made up from like sources. 

Our dramatizations are invariably presented at the 
assembly period of the school. The pupils appreciate the 
fact that this is the period of worship and that they are 
expected to contribute to the worship of each child by 
their dramatization. There is no suggestion of being on 
display or entertaining spectators, inasmuch as we do 
not invite spectators. | 


WHEN DAVID SAVED THE DAY 


Written and dramatized by Grade III, Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, Dayton, 
Ohio 
(The eagle in this story remains quite imaginary. As for the 

lion, one of the boys ‘‘did’’ quite naturally for it. David displayed 

rare dexterity in dispatching not only them but Goliath as well. 

His triumph over the giant was magnified by a haughty straddling 

of his great body as he lay helpless and undone.) 


. ACT OD 
PLACE: Bethlehem. 


CHARACTERS: David, Jesse, David’s brother. 
(Davip watching brothers march to help of Saul’s Army) 


BROTHERS: Goodbye David, keep good watch of the 
sheep. 

Davin: Goodbye, I will take care of the sheep. (Looks 
after brothers.) Why couldn’t I go too and fight for my coun- 
try. I know I could do something. 


116 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


JessE: Come David my son, don’t you think it is time 
to take the sheep to pasture. (Sheep ba-ba.) 

Davin: Yes, father I will go. 

(Davin starts slowly, throwing stone from his sling, etc., sees an 
eagle about to take a lamb from the fold—sheep ba-ba—throws a stone 
at eagle. A lion roars, starts toward the sheep. David throws a stone 
and kills lion. Sheep ba-ba.) 

Davin: Well, I’ll practice and grow strong. My chance 
may come, I’ll be faithful in small things then [ll be ready 
for great deeds. 

ACT II 

Pace: Near village of Bethlehem. 

CHARACTERS: David’s mother, Jesse, David. . 

DAVIbD’s MOTHER: Jesse, I am so anxious about our 
boys. Have you any news? 

Jesse: I too have been thinking of them; suppose yoy 
prepare some food and I'll send David to them. 

(Davip comes in from pasture.) 


Jesse: David, we are anxious about the boys. How 
would you like to go down to camp to get some news of 
them? 

Davin: Ill be delighted. 

Mortuer: Take this bag of food to them. Who will care 
for your sheep? 

Davi: [ll get a boy to attend them. 

JESSE AND MOTHER: God be with you. 


ACT III 
PLAceE: Battlefield. 


Cuaracters: David, David’s brothers, Goliath, King 
Saul, soldiers 

(Sauu’s tent to one side, GOLIATH, strutting, boasting, etc.) 

(Israelites in a panic) 


First BROTHER: Why here is our brother, David. 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 1I7 


SECOND BROTHER: Where are the sheep? 

Davin: Mother sent you this bag of food. The sheep are 
all right. I left a boy to attend them. 

GOLIATH: Choose you a man and let him come and 
fight me. 

(Israelites flee toward Saut’s tent in a panic. GOLIATH keeps 
boasting, etc.) 

Davip: (Looking toward Goliath) Who is this mighty 
man who defies the army of the living God? 

BROTHER: Hush, hush (etc.). 

ISRAELITE SOLDIERS: A mighty giant who comes out 
every day and dares us. 

Davi: Is there no one to fight him? 

SOLDIERS: No, we are not strong enough. 

Davi: I will go. 

SOLDIERS: Come to the King. 

(Davip goes to SAUL’s tent) 

Kinc SAUL: What is it, my boy? 

Davin: I will fight the giant. 

SAUL: You are but a little boy. 

Davi: An eagle, a bear, and a lion attacked my sheep. 
I killed them. God who helped me there will do so now. 

SAUL: Take my armor. 

Davin: No, I am not used to it. It will not fit me. 

(Davip leaves, on the way picks up pebbles, saying:) 


Davin: God help me defeat this giant and save our 
country. 

GorLiATH: Come on, come on, I’ll feed your flesh to the 
birds. 

(Davin throws stone, hits giant, GOLIATH falls. Philistines flee.) 

Davin: I am glad I stayed on the job with the sheep. 
Having been faithful then has made me ready for the great 
day. 


118 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


THE BOYHOOD OF MOSES 


Written and dramatized by Grade IV, Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, Dayton, 
Ohio 
(The baby, of course, is always the largest and most babylike 

doll in the possession of any member of the class. The making of 

the nestling place in the bulrushes calls for real ingenuity, as does 
the pretense of the mother.) 
ACT I 

PLACE: King’s court. 

Time: When Israelites were in bondage in Egypt. - 

CHARACTERS: King, Queen, Wise Man, Chief Adviser, 
Princess, maids, and soldiers. 

KinG: Behold! The Hebrew people are becoming 
stronger than we. We must destroy them. 

CHIEF ADVISER: What more can we do? We have made 
their lives bitter by hard work and it has had no effect upon 
them. 

WIsE Man: O King, may I speak? 

KincG: Speak, Wise Man. 

WIsE Man: O King, I pray thee be merciful unto these 
Hebrew people for they are descendants of Joseph who saved 
our land from famine. 

Kinc: Be merciful unto them! No, we have been kind 
to them long enough. I command that every Hebrew baby 
boy be thrown into the river. 

PRINCESS: O gracious father, be merciful unto them. 

(Exit) 

ACT II 
SCENE I 

Pace: The home of a Hebrew family. 

CHARACTERS: Moses, mother of Moses, Miriam, Aaron. 

(MotHER is rocking baby—Aaron is playing on the floor— 
Miriam runs in.) 


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120 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


Miriam: O mother! The king has commanded that 
every Hebrew baby boy shall be thrown into the river. 

MorueEr: Oh, where can we take our baby? I cannot 
hide him here for his cries are so loud that the king’s soldiers 
may hear him. 

Miriam: (Thinks.) Oh, mother, I have a good idea. 
Take him to the river and hide him in a basket in the bul- 
rushes so that the king will think he has been thrown into 
the river. 

MortuHeER: O, my poor baby, my poor baby. 


ACT II 
SCENE II 


PLACE: River bank. 

CHARACTERS: Miriam, mother, baby. 

Miriam: Oh, Mother, here is a fine place, the grasses 
are so tall that no one can see him. 

MortHer: We will place him in the basket we have made 
and place him far back in the bulrushes. 

(Puts baby in basket—stoops and hides it.) 


MOortHER: Oh, how can we leave him here with no one 
to watch him. 

Miriam: I will hide in the tall grasses and see that no 
harm comes to him. Don’t worry, mother, I will let you 
know if anything happens to him. 

Mortuer: Watch carefully until I return. 

(Miriam hides—exit MOTHER.) 

ACT II 
SCENE III 

PLACE: River bank. 

CHARACTERS: The Princess, her maidens, soldiers, 
mother, baby Moses, and Miriam. 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION I21I 


(Enter PRINCESS with maids and soldiers) 


Princess: (looking about.) What lovely clear water for 
me to bathe in. 

Frrst MAID: Gracious Princess, will you bathe here? 

Princess: What is that I hear? It sounds like a baby’s 
cry. Look, maidens, is there anything in the bulrushes? 


(Maids look in bulrushes.) 


SECOND MAID: (finds baby.) O Princess, see what I’ve 
found. 

Princess: A baby hidden in a basket. O give it to me! 
(Princess takes baby.) Oh, what a lovely baby. He is mine, 
I have found him. He is a Hebrew boy whose mother hid 
him so that he would not be killed. 


(MIRIAM runs out.) 


Miriam: O Princess, would you not like a nurse for the 
baby? 

Princess: Yes, I will need a nurse. 

Mrriam: I can get you one quickly. 

PRINCESS: Run quickly and I will wait. 


(Miriam leaves running.) 


PRINCESS: He is my boy. I have found him. I will call 
him Moses because I drew him out of the water. 


(MrriaM returns with MOTHER.) 


MiriAm: O most gracious Princess, here is the nurse. 

PRINCESS: (to mother.) Will you take good care of this 
baby? I will pay you well. I am the Princess, King 
Pharaoh’s daughter. I will see that he is educated as a 
prince in my father’s palace. 

Mortuer: I will take very good care of him. 


(Exit PRINCESS, MAIDS, and SOLDIERS) 


122 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


ACT III 


PrLacE: Pharaoh’s court. 

CHARACTERS: King, Princess, maids, soldiers, Chief 
Advisers, Wise Man, mother of Moses, Moses, Miriam. 

(KING on throne, WISE MAN, CuteF ADVISER, Soldiers around.) 

(Enter MESSENGER) 

MESSENGER: O King, the Princess awaits to speak to 
thee. 

Krnc: Bid her enter. 

(Enter PRINCESS with two maids) 

PRINCESS: O King, and father, I have a request to make 
of thee. 

Kinc: Speak, my Princess, do I not always grant what 
you ask? 

Princess: Yes, father, and I am sure you will grant 
what I ask this time. Several years ago I adopted a son and 
I ask that he be educated as a prince in your palace. 

Krnc: Adopted ason! What does this mean! Where did 
you get him? 

PRINCESS: I found him at the river among the bulrushes. 

Kinc: That is strange. Why was he hidden? 

PRINCESS: He is a Hebrew Boy, O father! 

Kine: A Hebrew Boy! Did I not command that every 
Hebrew baby should be killed? 

Princess: I had his life spared, will you not see him? 

Kine: No, I will not! No Hebrew boy shall be brought 
into my palace. 

Princess: O father, if you would only see him, he is so 
lovely, you would love him as much as I do. Will you not 
see him? 

Krnc: Bring him in. 

(Maids bring Moses, Miriam, and MOTHER. PRINCESS leads 
Moses to KING.) 


Tue PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION E23 


PRINCESS: Here is my son. Is he not a lovely child? 

Krinc: He is fair to look upon, but he is a Hebrew. 

PRINCESS: O my father, forget that he is a Hebrew and 
only remember he is my son. 

Kinc: O my Princess, for your sake I will accept him. 
I will leave his training in your hands. May he grow up to be 
a Prince worthy of the House of Pharaoh. 

(Exit) 


ESTHER 


Written and dramatized by Grade V, Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, Dayton, 
Ohio 
This story never fails to interest the fifth graders. 

It is always dramatized with eagerness. The wealth of 

suggestion about costumes, postures, and paraphernalia 

is always interesting. And the competition for the chief 
role, that of Queen Esther, produces some real striving 
for excellence. 

ACT 


Piace: Throne room, king’s palace 

Time: Time of Queen Esther 

CHARACTERS: King Ahasuerus, princes, Haman, serv- 
ants 

(The K1nG is walking around the room displaying his wealthy 
goods; servants standing in background; princes also walking around, 
admiring K1NG’s wealth and grandeur.) 

Kinc: I have called you to my palace to show you my 
wonderful castle and all my wealth; when you have seen all 
my beautiful things, we will enjoy a feast. (To the servants): 
Servants, bring us some wine while we are looking around. 
(Servants return with cups. Guests sit down before the King 
who sits on his throne.) 


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THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 125 


Kinc: (To servants): Bring Vashti, my Queen, before me 
so that I can show these princes that I have the most won- 
derful and most beautiful Queen in the world, besides all of 
these great riches of my court. 

(Servants depart.) 

FIRST PRINCE: O King, we will tell the people of your 
riches; they do not know your wonderful greatness. 

SECOND PRINCE: You area wonderful King. I have been 
in many palaces, but none as gorgeous as yours. 

THIRD PRINCE: O King, what beautiful rich robes you 
have. 

(Servants return without Vasutt. They bow low, trembling with 
fear.) 

Kinc: (To servants): Rise, I demand of you, where is 
Vashti? 

FIRST SERVANT: O king, do not ask me. 

SECOND SERVANT: O your Majesty, Queen Vashti has 
refused to come. She will not obey you. 

(Servants rise and walk behind the K1nc, who becomes very 
angry and excited.) 

Kinc: Princes, tell me what should I do with a Queen 
who refused to obey me? She surely ought to be punished. 

FIRST PRINCE: O King, this is terrible! Not only for you, 
but for all of us, for your wife will set a bad example for our 
wives and they will refuse to obey us. 

Kinc: Haman, how should I punish Vashti? 

HAMAN: Tell the whole world that you have cast 
Vashti out of the palace, because she was disobedient. 

Kine: I will send this order to all my provinces: (1) 
Vashti has been cast from the palace; (2) Her royal estate 
will be given to another; (3) Every man must rule in his own 
house; (4) All the beautiful maidens are to come before me, 
for I am to choose.a new Queen, 


126 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


' 


ACT II 


PLace: Throne room of King Ahasuerus 

Time: One year later than Act I 

CHARACTERS: King, Haman, Mordecai, servants, 
maidens 

(KING seated on his throne; servants bring maidens in, one at a 
time and they pass before the King, who is indifferent to all of them 
until Esther, the last one, arrives.) 

Morvecati: (Speaks to Esther just before the servants take ‘ 
her before the King) Go, Esther before the King and may the 
Lord bless you for I know he will choose you, but do not tell 
him that you are a Jewess. 

EstHER: I will do as you ask. | 

(Servants take EstHEr before Kinc who looks pleased.) 


Kine: O maiden, what is your name? 

EsTHER: Esther, O King. 

Kine: You are so beautiful I choose you for my Queen. 
(To servants): Bring me Vashti’s crown and I will place it on 
her head. Come, all, now we will have a wedding feast. 


ACT III 


PLACE: Palace gate 

Time: Six months later than Act II 

CHARACTERS: Haman, Mordecai, servants, people 

(HAMAN passes the gate and as he passes, all bow except Mor- 
DECAI.) 

Haman: (To Mordecai) Why do you not bow to me? 
(angrily) Do you not know that the King has advanced me 
over all others and has told everyone to bow before me? 

Morvecar: God has told me and my people not to bow 
to any wicked man. 

Haman: Thou Jew! You will pay for this! I will kill or 
destroy all Jews, both young and old in one day, the thir- 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 123 


teenth day of the twelfth month! [’llalso havea gallows built 
on which to hang you. 

(MorpEcart walks away mourning; HAMAN walks away. 
Morpecat then comes back to gate and hands a secret letter to a 
servant who takes it to ESTHER.) 

(MorpveEcal walks up and down, eS for ESTHER, saying:) 


O Esther, save me and your people! 
(ESTHER comes running to gate.) 


EsTHER: O Mordecai, my poor uncle! Why are you and 
all my people crying? 

Morpecat: Haman says I and all your people are going 
to be killed or sold as slaves and you must go before the King 
and plead for our lives. 

EsTHER: (very distressed) Oh Mordecai, if I go before the 
King unless he sends for me, I will be killed and oh! if I 
do not risk my life, you will be killed! Oh! what shall I do? 
(Walks up and down studying.) I will go before the King, for 
it is better for one to be killed than for many. I will give my 
life for my people. 

ACT IV 


PLACE: King’s room in palace 

TimE: Next day 

CHARACTERS: Esther, King, Haman, servants 

(ESTHER enters, bows, trembling before the KiNG.) 

Krnc: Esther, what do you mean by coming before me 
without me sending for you? What do you wish? Do you 
know you might be killed for this? But Oh Esther, you are 
so beautiful, ask your wish, and I will grant it, even to half 
my kingdom. 

(Touching her with scepter) 


EstHEerR: O King, you are so good, I want you and 
Haman to come to my room tonight for a feast. 


128 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHuRCH SCHOOL 


Krnc: Come, Haman, we will do as she asks. Let us go 
and prepare for the feast. 


ACT. V 


PLACE: Esther’s room in palace 

Time: Same night 

CHARACTERS: King, Haman, Esther, servants, Mor- 
decai 

(KING sits in largest chair, others around him, except MorvEcat, 
who is in corridor.) 


Kine: This is very kind to ask us to your room; haven’t 
you another wish I could grant you; be not afraid; I will 
grant it, even to half of my kingdom. | 

EsTHER: (Falls before him and pleads): O King, save 
me and my people, the Hebrew people who are to be killed. 

Krnc: Who dare say this to you? 

EstHerR: (Points to Haman who acts like a coward): 
There he is! The wicked Haman. : 

Kinc: How do you know? 

EstTHER: Here is a letter Haman has sent to all the Jews. 
Mordecai gave it to me. See, we are to be killed on the thir- 
teenth day of the twelfth month. 

Krnc: Rise Esther, you and your people shall be saved. 
Send a servant for Mordecai that I may honor him and send 
me another servant. 

Kinc: (To servant) Take Haman, this wicked man and 
hang him on the gallows he built for Mordecai. Before he 
leaves, remove his crown and place it on Mordecai. 


(Servant and Haman leave; servants then return with MorvDECAI 
dressed in Haman’s robes.) 


KiNG: (To Mordecai) You shall now be my chief counsel- 


or and you shall rule; send word to your people that they 
shall not be killed. 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 129 


Morpecati: May the Lord bless you, O King and Queen 
Esther. | 


(Kneels and then rises and leaves.) 


EstHER: O King, you have made me very happy. 
Kinc: You deserve to be happy for you were willing to 
sacrifice your life for your people. . 


RUTH 


Written and Dramatized by Grade VII, Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, Dayton, 
Ohio 

ACT I 

PrLace: On the road from Moab to Bethlehem 

CHARACTERS: Naomi, Ruth, Orpah 

Naomi: Go back, my daughters, return each to your 
mother’s house. May Jehovah deal kindly with you as you 
have been kind to your husbands and to me. May you each 
find rest in the house of another husband. 

RUTH AND ORPAH (weeping): Nay, but we will return 
with thee unto thy people. 

Naomi: No, you are young and I am old, go back and 
be happy among your own people. 

OrpPAH: If you believe it is best for me to return to my 
own people I will go. 

(OrpPAH kisses NAomI and goes back.) 

Naomi: Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto 
her people and unto her God. Return thou after her. 

RutH: Entreat me not to leave thee and to return from 
following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and 
where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people 
and thy God, my God; where thou diest will I die and there 
will I be buried: Jehovah do so to me and more also if aught 
but death part thee and me. 


(oz6r fo uotssas) TT. 4 apvsy 
SMV, 24 fo yqvavg ayy, fo UOLIDZNIDULDACY 





THE Pertop oF DRAMATIZATION 131 


ACT II 
PLACE: Bethlehem 


CHARACTERS: Ruth, Naomi, women of Bethlehem 

FIRST SPEAKER: Look! Naomi has come back! 

SECOND SPEAKER: Who is the strange woman with her? 

THIRD SPEAKER: She looks like a Moabitess. | 

FOURTH SPEAKER: She seems to be in trouble. What has 
befallen her? 

SIXTH SPEAKER: Come, let us go and talk with her. 

ALL TOGETHER: Is this Naomi? 

Naomi: Call me not Naomi which means “pleasant.” 
Call me Mara, which means “bitter,” for I have suffered 
many hardships and seen much trouble since I lived among 
you. 

ACT III 

Prace: Field of Boaz 

CHARACTERS: Boaz, Ruth, reapers, gleaners, Head 
Reaper 

(Reapers sing a harvest song as they reap.) 


Boaz: (Walking through the field addresses them.) 
Jehovah be with you. 

REAPERS: Jehovah bless thee. 

Boaz: (to Head Reaper) Who is this young woman that 
I see gleaning in the fields? 

HEAD REAPER: It is the young woman from Moab who 
came back with Naomi. She came to me and asked leave to 
glean after the reapers. She has been gleaning here since 
yesterday. 

Boaz: (Speaking to Ruth.) Listen, my daughter, do not 
go to any other field but stay here with my maidens. No one 
shall harm you. When you are thirsty go, drink from our 
water vessels. 

RutH: (Bowing before Boaz.) Why have I found favor 
in thy sight that thou shouldst notice me? 


; 


132 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Boaz: I have heard how kind you have been to your 
mother-in-law, Naomi; how you have left your native land 
and have come with her and have accepted her people. May 
Jehovah reward you for your kindness. 

Rutu: I thank thee, kind master, for your goodness 
toward me, a foreigner. 

Boaz: At meal time come and eat with my maidens. 

RutH: I thank thee. 

Boaz: (To Head Reaper) When you are reaping drop out 
some of the sheaves in order that she may gather them and 


reproach her not. 
ACT IV 


PLAcE: At the city gate 

CHARACTERS: Boaz, Kinsman, people of the city, Ruth, 
Naomi 

(People of the city pass the gate where Boaz is sitting waiting 
for kinsman.) 

Boaz: (On seeing kinsman.) Ho! Kinsman! Stop! Sit 
down here! I have something important to discuss with you. 

Boaz: (to townsmen) Come, fellow citizens, be witnesses 
here in a matter of business. 

TOWNSMEN: We will witness the transaction. 

Boaz: (to kinsman) Naomi has come back from Moab. 
You are her nearest relative. She has land to sell. If you will 
buy back her land pray tell me. 

Kinsman: I will redeem the land. 

Boaz: The day that you buy the land you must also 
take Ruth the Moabitess for your wife. 

KrnsMAN: Then I cannot redeem it for myself. Do thou 
buy it. Buy it for thyself. 

(Kinsman takes off his shoe and hands it to Boaz.) 

Boaz: (To townspeople) Ye are witness this day that I 
have bought all that was Naomi’s. Moreover I take Ruth 
the Moabitess to be my wife. 


Tue PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 133 


TOWNSPEOPLE: We are witnesses. 
Boaz: Come, all, to the wedding feast and let us make 
merry. 


THE PRODIGAL SON 


Written and dramatized by Grade VIII, Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, Dayton, 
Ohio 

ACT I 

PLACE: The home 

CHARACTERS: Prodigal son, mother, older sister, older 
son, younger sister, Turza, first friend, second friend, farmer, 
and servant 

PRODIGAL SON: Father, give me the portion of goods that 
falleth to me. 

MorHer: My son, methinkest thou art too young to 
assume the responsibility. 

OLDER SISTER: Thou must listen to the advice of thy 
good parents, mine own brother. Thou must think of thine 
own household. 

PRODIGAL SON: Let me go; I am well able. Thou think- 
est not of me when thine own thoughts are turned from 
home. 

OLDER SON: Nay, brother, I am older than thou and I 
have not journeyed yet. Thou hast not gone away from 
-home before, and it would not be well to start out alone. The 
people would cheat thee and the thieves rob thee. Stay here 
with thy family, I pray thee. 

YOUNGER SISTER: Father, why must we deny him his 
greatest pleasure? It is impossible for him to show us his 
power until left by himself. Give it, I pray, give it. 
| MoruHer: My son, if thou art so anxious to go forth, go; 
but forget not that I, thy mother, shall always await thy 
return. 


(Sz6z fo uotssas) TI T4 apvsy 
SUIS YSYO0T pur asty ay, fo uouv=jvuvsg 





THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 135 


FaTHER: I, against mine own will, shall give it to him. 
Here my son; take it and I shall pray for thy success. Return 
speedily, I pray, unto us. May the Lord bless thee and keep 
thee, while we are parted, one from another. 


ACT II 

PLACE? City 

PRODIGAL SON: A merry life be my motto! (Knock) 
Who knocketh? 

KNockKER: It is J, thy friend, Turza. May I enter? 

PropiGAL SON: Thou shalt never be barred from my 
dwelling. Enter. 

Turza: Wilt thou come, my friend, to the wine room? 
It is open and merry with many folk from yonder village. 

(Enter group shouting.) 


FIRST FRIEND: Hail our friend. Be merry with us. 
Come, come, drink with us. 

PRODIGAL SON: Yea, verily I will go with thee while my 
wallet is yet full. 

ACT III 

PLACE @ City 

PRODIGAL SON: Where hath all my money gone? Why 
should I have been so foolish? Surely I must have clothing 
and food. And now where am I to get it? 

(Enter group shouting.) 

FIRST FRIEND: Good evening, Reuben. Didn’t we have 
a good time the other night? Where are you going to take 
us tonight? 

PRODIGAL SON: Nay, friends, I cannot go with ye. See! 
My wallet is empty. 

SECOND FRIEND: Since thou hast no money we shall go 
without thee. 

(Exit group, jeering.) 


136 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


ACT IV 
PLACE: City 
PRODIGAL SON: I have no money, no work, no hope for 
finding work; and shall have to live in the great out-doors, 
with only the food that I can find to live on. 


ACT V 
PLACE: Farmhouse 


PRODIGAL SON: Hast thou work for a poor beggar who 
has lost all his money and has no home; I was once a rich 
man, but I have lost all. I want just work enough to give me 
food. 

FARMER: Son, thou hast had great trouble and I would 
that I could help thee. I have no place to give unless thou 
wouldst feed the swine. . 

PRODIGAL SON: I would take care of the swine or do 
anything, just to have work so I will not starve to death. 

FARMER: Come, I will show to thee all thy duties. 

(Both exit; son re-enters.) 

PRODIGAL SON: Surely, I cannot eat what the swine do 
any longer, for I am starving! How many hired servants of 
my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with 
hunger! I will arise and go to my father and will say unto 
him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, 
and am no longer worthy to be called thy son. Make me as 
one of thy hired servants.” 


ACT VI 
PLAcE: The home 


FATHER: (At one side watching for the return of his son.) 
These long years have I watched for him but he does not 
return. Would that I had not let him go. It maketh my heart 
very sad! 

Moruer: I am afraid if our boy does not return home 
soon, father will become very ill waiting for him. I have 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 137 


prayed since his departure for his safety and for his return 
at an early day. 

YOUNGER SISTER: He must have doubled his portion of 
goods and have become very rich. Do not worry, mine own 
mother, he will come back. 

OLDER SISTER: He may have met with great misfortune. 
Would that he had listened to our pleas! 

FATHER: He has come! He has come! 


(Enter Prodigal Son.) 


PRODIGAL SON: Father, I have sinned against heaven 
and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 

FATHER: (To one.) Servant, bring forth the best robe 
and put it on him. (Yo another.) Put a ring on his finger and 
shoes on his feet. (To another.) And bring hither the fatted 
calf and kill it. Let us eat and be merry. For this my son 
was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. 

OLDEST SON: Why all this merry-making? 

SERVANT: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath 
killed the fatted calf because he hath received him safe and 
sound. 

FATHER: My son, thy brother is here. Why dost thou 
not come in and be merry and rejoice? 

OLDEST SON: (Angrily.) Lo, these many years do I serve 
thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; 
and yet thou never gavest mea kid, that I might make merry 
with my friends. But as soon as this thy son has come, which 
hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for 
him the fatted calf. 

FATHER: Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have 
is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be 
glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and 
was lost, and is found. 


(Exit) 


138 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF CHRIST 

Written and Dramatized by the high-school class, Summer 

School of Religious Education, First Lutheran Church, 

Dayton, Ohio 

PRELUDE 

Far across the seas in a corner of the old Roman Em- 
pire, in Bethlehem of Judea, a child, called Jesus, was 
born to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth. The child’s par- 
ents had traveled a great distance to Bethlehem to be 
taxed and there the child was born and laid in a manger. 

Out on the hills of Judea an angel choir appeared 
proclaiming to shepherds, watching their flocks, that the 
Great Messiah had been born in Bethlehem. The shep- 
herds hastened to the village and there worshiped him. 
From far distant countries wise men were traveling by 
the guidance of a star to the birthplace of the babe. 
They tarried at the court of Herod and asked where the 
young child lay. Herod, fearing that his throne was en- 
dangered, asked the wise men, when they found Jesus, 
to return to him that he, also, might pay homage. But 
the wise men, finding the child and perceiving Herod’s 
jealousy, departed for their own countries another way. 

Then Herod, discovering that the wise men had 
deceived him, decreed that all baby boys in Bethlehem 
of two years and under should be killed. But Mary and 
Joseph, being warned in a dream, fled into Egypt. 

Upon Herod’s death the family returned to Palestine 
where they settled in Nazareth. 

When Jesus was twelve years old, his parents took 
him to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When 
the feast was over, Mary and Joseph had traveled a day 


THE PERIOD OF. DRAMATIZATION 139 


before they noticed that Jesus was not with them. They 
returned to Jerusalem and found him among the doctors 
displaying a remarkable knowledge of the Scriptures. 
The family returned to Nazareth where Jesus grew up as 
other boys of the age. 

‘“‘And the child increased in wisdom and stature and 
in favor with God and man. He grew and waxed strong 
in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was 
upon him.” 

ACT I 
OPENING EVENTS OF CHRIST’S MINISTRY 


PLACE: Cana of Galilee 

True: After Christ’s first miracle 

CHARACTERS: Andrew, Philip, Nathaniel, first person, 
second person, others 

(Enter people.) 


First PERSON: This, indeed, was the largest wedding we 
have had in Cana in a long time. 

SECOND PERSON: Yes, and the most unusual one. 

FIRST PERSON: What meanest thou? 

SECOND PERSON: Dost thou not know about the 
miracle? 

First PERSON: No, pray tell it to me. 

SECOND PERSON: Of course, thou knowest that the wine 
failed. When this happened the mother of Jesus of Nazareth 
said unto Jesus: “They have no wine,” and Jesus saith unto 
her, ‘‘Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is 
not yet.”’ His mother saith unto the servants, ‘‘Whatsoever 
he saith unto you, do it.”’ Now there were six waterpots of 
stone set there containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus 
saith unto the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” 
And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, 


140 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


“Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast,” and 
they bore it. 

First PERSON: That explains what I heard the governor 
of the feast saying to the bridegroom. ‘‘Every man setteth 
on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely then 
that which is worse; thou hast kept the good wine until now.”’ 


(Enter the disciples.) 


SECOND PERSON: Who is this Jesus of Nazareth? 

First PERSON: Here cometh Andrew of Capernaum, 
who came with Jesus. Andrew, pray tell us of Jesus of 
Nazareth. 

ANDREW: He is The Messiah. 

THE OTHERS: The Messiah! 

ANDREW: Simon and I heard of a certain man by the 
mame of John, who was preaching in the wilderness of 
Judea, even John the Baptist, saying “Repent ye, for the 
Kingdom of God is at hand.’’ We journeyed three days to 
hear him and tarried there with him and were baptized. 
Great multitudes came confessing their sins. Among those 
coming to be baptized was Jesus of Nazareth. After many 
days he returned and John the Baptist cried out ‘‘Behold the 
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world! This 
is he of whom I said, ‘After me cometh a man who is before 
me.’ ”? Hearing this John and I followed him. Jesus turned 
and beheld us following and saith, ‘‘What seek ye?” And we 
saith unto him, “Rabbi, where abidest thou?” He saith unto 
us, “Come and ye shall see,” and we followed him and abode 
with him for that day and Simon, my brother, was with us. 
The next day we started for Galilee. 

Putte: (Eager and impatient at Andrew’s long speech.) 
And I, Ehhp, met them on the road and Jesus saith, “Fol- 
low me” and he spoke with such authority that I needs must 
follow him. And as we journeyed on we saw Nathaniel sitting 


THE PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION I4I 


under a fig tree and I spoke unto him saying, ““We have found 
him of whom Moses in the law and prophets wrote, Jesus of 
Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 

NATHANIEL: And I believed not and said, ‘Can any 
good thing come out of Nazareth?” 

Puitre: Knowing Jesus I answered, ‘“‘Come and see.” 

NATHANIEL: Jesus perceiving my unbelief saith “‘Be- 
hold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!” Turning 
I said, ‘Whence knowest thou me?” And he said, ‘Before 
Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw 
thee.” Then I knew him to be the Son of God, the King of 
Israel. 

But he answereth me, ‘Because I said unto thee, I saw 
thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see 
greater things than these. Verily, verily I say unto you, ye 
shall see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending 
and descending upon the Son of man.” 


INTERLUDE 

After these things Jesus and his disciples journeyed 
through Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and Perea and he 
healed many that were sick, raised the dead, fed the 
hungry, and taught the multitude saying, ‘‘The time is 
fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, 
and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15) 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the king- 
dom of heaven. 

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be 
comforted. 

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the 
earth. 

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after right- 
eousness: for they shall be filled. 


142 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain 
mercy. | 
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be 
called the sons of God. 

Blessed are they that have been persecuted for 
righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and 
persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you 
falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: 
for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted 
they the prophets that were before you. (Matt. 5:3-12) 

Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy 
neighbor, and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, 
love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute 
you. (Matt. 5:43) 

Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before 
men to be seen of them; else ye have no reward with 
your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 6:9-1 5) 

And after this manner pray ye: “Our Father who 
AT UMM ces: 

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do 
unto you, even so do ye also unto them. (Matt. 7:12) 

But the Pharisees and Scribes came forth and began 
to question with him, seeking how they might take him 
and kill him. And Judas Iscariot one of the twelve went 
with them, that he might deliver him unto them and he 
bringeth the multitude with swords and staves to take 
him to the high priests. Now the chief priest and the 
whole council sought witness against Jesus to put him 
to death; and found it not. So they bound Jesus and 


Tue PERIOD OF DRAMATIZATION 143 


delivered him up to Pilate and when Pilate said unto 
the rabble: 

“What then shall I do with the King of the Jews?” 

They cried out, ‘“‘Crucify him! Crucify him!” 

And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, de- 
livered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 


ACT II 


PLAceE: Outside the sepulcher and in the garden 

Time: After the crucifixion 

CHARACTERS: Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of 
James; Salome; Peter; Thomas; Cleopas; angel; soldiers; 
others 

(Soldiers stationed at tomb. Angel appears and rolls away the 
stone. Soldiers become as dead men. Enter the women.) 

Mary MacpaALeNnE: Who shall roll us away the stone 
from the door of the tomb? 

Mary, THE MOTHER OF JAMES: We may be able to get 
the gardener to do it. 

SALOME: Behold, the stone is rolled away. 

(Fall on their knees.) 


ANGEL: Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who 
hath been crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, even as 
he said. Come and see the place where the Lord lay. 

(Move forward and peer into the tomb.) 


Go quickly, and tell his disciples he is risen from the 
dead; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye 
see him: lo, I have told you. 

(Running off to the disciples.) 

(Peter and John enter and go toward the tomb. Turn and meet 
all the other characters.) 

Mary MAGDALENE: He is risen, indeed! 

THomAS: How knowest thou? 


144 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Mary MacpAtene: I saw him and he spake unto me 
saying, “Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended unto the 
Father; but go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend 
unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your 
God.” 

CLEOPAS: We, too, saw Jesus on our way from Emmaus 
and knew him not till he took the bread and blessed it and 
breaking it gave unto us. Then our eyes were opened and he 
vanished from our sight. 

JoHN: He also appeared unto us in the upper room say- 
ing, “‘Peace be unto you” and he showed us his hands and his 
side and breathed on us saying, “Receive ye the Holy 
Spirit.” | 

POSTLUDE 

“Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the na- 
tions, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of 
the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to ob- 
serve all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, 
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” 


CHAPTER VI 


THE ASSEMBLY OR PERIOD 
OF WORSHIP 


Religious education is more than instruction in the 
facts of religion. To pack the minds of the pupils with 
information about biblical events and personalities and 
the great movements and characters of Christian history 
is a phase of training in religion but not the most im- 
portant phase. Beyond instruction lies worship. Be- 
yond learning is the building up of the religious life. 
To give the pupil an accurate report of a religious ex- 
perience whether it be that of Moses, David, or Jesus 
Christ falls far short of helping him to acquire that ex- 
perience himself. To acquaint a pupil with the trium- 
phant trust in God that distinguished John G. Paton, 


. for instance, is helpful only as it stimulates him to trust 


God in his own life. 

Historically understood, the sense of kinship with 
the unseen is the heart of religion. Much as we may 
commiserate the benighted heathen or hold in contempt 
the crude practices of the pagan world; sneer as we may 
at the superstitions of certain modern sects, the fact 
remains that these ceremonies and mechanisms are the 
very life of religion. The “‘folk-ways of religion” are the 
scaffolding used by man to erect the temple of worship in 
which he can make his approach to God. Modern reli- 


145 


(Sz6r fo uotssas) , 
diyssom fo porsad ayy sof ndjnd ays ur ‘ssasvag Soff ays 
“Auogs angry ays syjaj oyas qidnd ays ‘uakoad ur spoos oym pidnd ays ““apvar ay | 





THE PERIOD OF WoRSHIP 147 


gious education will acquire no very helpful social or 
personal significance unless it too issues in perfectly 
sincere worship. To create within the life of the child 
the certainty of God, to furnish him with the necessary 
mechanism by which he comes to God is the highest 
privilege of the religious educator. One can easily treat 
too lightly the traditional habits of pious folk. One can 
hardly overestimate the value of the habit of worship as 
an aid to making the life religious. Jesus offered pro- 
lific criticism of the life and ideals of the best current 
religion but he went to the synagogue none the less ‘‘as 
his custom was.” 

The period of worship occupies the most important 
place in our program of religious education. Our aim is 
constantly to cultivate a habit of worship. The general 
fact of God in the cosmic order becomes a personally ap- 
prehended fact of life largely through the spontaneous 
worship of God. And children do worship God quite 
naturally. Their delight in the period of worship is most 
convincing. We strive chiefly to preserve that sponta- 
neity and cultivate what might be called “‘the natural 
religion of childhood” that it may retain its radiance and 
sincerity when the years of sophistication come. 

To this end we have arranged a thirty-minute 
program of worship which is conducted entirely by the 
pupils. A leader, usually from the high-school grade, 
guides the program as it is carried out. The school 
marches into the church auditorium by grades, follow- 
ing two flag-bearers carrying the Christian and the 
American flags. The hymn “Lead On O King Eternal’ 
serves as a processional march. When the pupils have 


148 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


come to their places in the pews the following program 
is carried out: 


al: 
II. 


IIT. 
IV. 


VI. 


The Processional Hymn “Lead on O King Eternal” 
is sung. 

A Call to Worship is repeated by one of the grades. 
The Doxology is sung by the school. 


Prayer is offered by one of the pupils who is in the 


pulpit with the leader. As the prayer is concluded 
the entire school sings softly 

Holy, Holy, Holy, 

Lord God of Hosts 

Heaven and earth are full of Thee 

Heaven and earth are praising Thee 

O Lord most High, 


lifting their heads as they sing the third line. 


. The pledge to the Christian flag is then given as 


follows: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the 
Savior for whose Kingdom it stands, one brother- 
hood, uniting all mankind in service and love.” 
The school joins in one of the hymns taught during 
the hymn period. (At this point the school is 
seated.) 


. A Bible story, mission story, or dramatization fol- 


lows. 


. The school rises to give the pledge to the American 


flag. 


. One of the great national hymns is sung, preferably 


‘“‘America the Beautiful.” 


. The Aarronic Benediction is chanted. 
XT 


The school marches out of the auditorium to Kip- 
ling’s ““Recessional” with De Koven music. 


Some typical assembly stories are listed below. 
These stories have first been given at the class period 


Tue PERIOD OF WORSHIP 149 


but so free do the pupils feel themselves that it is fre- 
quently quite surprising to the teacher to hear them at 
the assembly. These stories were taken down by a 
stenographer while being told and are not altered or 
revised. 

MISSION STORY 


(Grade ITT) 


ST. CHRISTOPHER 


Once there was a great giant, called Offero, at least he 
stood head and shoulders above any other man. He made a 
vow that when he grew to manhood he would only serve the 
strongest master in the world. He heard of a king, and one 
day he went in search of the king. He traveled for many 
days, and he found a walled city, and he went inside to the 
king and said, “‘O king, I come to serve thee. I hear that you 
are the strongest master.” 

The king was pleased with the great giant and he made 
him head of his army, and the next day there was a big 
battle and they won. There was great feasting and rejoicing 
in honor of Offero, and a poet came and sang praises, and he 
said that even Satan would be no match for him. And at 
this word, ‘‘Satan” the king turned pale and trembled, and 
Offero asked, “Are you afraid of Satan, O King?” And the 
king said, ““Yes.’”’ Offero said, ‘“‘Coward, I shall only serve 
the strong master,”’ and he went in search of Satan. 

It did not take him long to find Satan, and Satan was 
much pleased with the huge giant. One day as Satan and 
Offero were walking along a country road, Satan saw a cross 
on the other side of the road, and in his mind he pictured 
Christ. And he cowered to the other side of the road and 
turned pale and trembled too. And Offero asked Satan why 
he did this, and he said, ‘“‘Although I am one of Christ’s 


150 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


enemies I cannot conquer him.’’ And Offero thundered this 
time, “Coward, I see you are not the strongest master. I 
shall go and find this Christ.’’? And he went through many 
cities asking everybody that he met, and one day as he was 
in the country he came to a great river and on the other side 
he saw a hermit sitting beside his cell. He said, “Surely this 
good man could tell me where the Christ is,” and he plunged 
into the river. The current was swift and the river was run- 
ning badly but he waded across. He asked the hermit where 
his Christ was as he wanted to serve him. 

The hermit said, “‘Christ has said, those serve him best, 
who most faithfully help others.” He said, “You remain 
here, and here is your chance to help serve Christ. Many a 
traveler comes by and wishes to cross this river and cannot. 
You can carry them on your back.” 

The giant was pleased with this. One night a great storm 
arose. It was in the rainy season, and he said, “Surely no- 
body will come out such a night,” and he went in his house 
and seated himself before a big fire. He heard a voice call, 
“Offero,” and he went out and could not see anybody, anda 
brilliant flash of lightning flashed just then and he could see 
the opposite shore and there was nobody there. And he went 
in his house again and settled himself before the blazing fire. 
He heard a voice calling, ‘‘Offero, help me across the river.” 
He took his staff and plunged into the river going to the 
other side. He looked all around but saw nobody, until his 
lantern shone upon the upturned face of a little child. And he 
said, ‘Poor child,” because the giant had a very kind heart, 
and he put him upon his back and started into the great 
current. The river was driving madly because of the rain. 
And the deeper the water became, the heavier the little child 
became. There was a big rock in the center of the river and 
Offero stepped on that to rest. And immediately he fell off. 


THE PERIOD OF WORSHIP I51 


He struggled to his feet again, and the child became heavier, 
and he said, ‘‘I have carried many a strong man, but none 
so heavy as this little child.”” And when he got to the other 
side of the river he had to take hold of a strip of grass to pull 
himself on shore. And he said, ‘“My, you area heavy child.” 
And the child said, “I carry the burdens of the world.’’ 
And he said, *““They shall call you Christopher, Christ- 
Bearer.” 

Offero looked up and instead of the little boy stood a 
tall shining figure. Offero fell down on his knees and said, 
“‘Master,’’ and looked up and the shining figure had disap- 
peared. And then he knew that he had found the Christ. 


(Told by a girl eight years old.) 


A BIBLE STORY 
(Grade IV) 


WAITING FOR JESUS 


There was once a lady who expected Jesus to come to her 
house and take dinner and spend the night. As she was to 
entertain such a wonderful guest she took great pains in mak- 
ing the house as clean as she could. She scrubbed, dusted, 
swept, and garnished, until the whole house was clean and 
shining, so it would be ready when the Master came. The 
hour was growing near when she expected his knock at the 
door, so she prepared a scrumptious meal. 

But while she was working, many people came to her for 
help. First, a little girl came who was tired and sleepy. Her 
mother was not yet back from the store, and she wanted to be 
comforted. Next came a beggar, tired and sore, who asked 
for a crust of bread, and a drink of water. She turned him 
away empty handed too, with a cross rebuke. Next came a 
woman who was in deep sorrow because she had lost her 


152. A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL, 


child. She was not harsh with this woman, yet she made her 
understand that she had no time for her, and the woman went 
away heavier hearted than when she came. 

At last dinner hour came, and still the Master diese not 
come. Dark settled and he did not come. Midnight passed 
and she was still waiting for his footsteps. At last she fell 
asleep, and she dreamed in her sleep that the child, the lady, 
and the beggar passed by her house, and in each one of them 
she saw the image of her Lord. When she woke up it was all 
plain to her that the Lord had come and she had passed him 
by, and she was still waiting for him. 

Christ cannot come to us here on earth, but he comes to 
us in the image of someone who needs help, and when we 
help them we will help Christ. 


(Told by a boy nine years old.) 


A BIBLE STORY 
(Grade V) 
JESUS HEALING THE LITTLE GIRL 


The story I am going to tell you is about a little girl 
who was sick. Were you ever sick, and your head hurt, and 
your pillow was awful hot, and the footsteps of the people 
outside made your head hurt worse? Well, that’s the way 
this little girl felt. She was awful sick and her father was a 
rich man. He would gladly have given all his money to cure 
her, but it was useless. And so the little girl grew worse and 
worse until they feared she would die. The father heard of a 
great teacher. Do you know who it was? It was Jesus. So 
when he was near the father went to him. There was a great 
multitude around him as there always was. But the father 
made his way through the crowd and fell at the feet of Jesus. 

He said, ‘‘My little girl is dying.” Jesus arose and fol- 


THE PERIOD OF WORSHIP | 153 


lowed him, but they could not go fast for the crowd followed 
them too. Some, just to see his beautiful face, and others 
to touch his clothing. But before they came to the rich 
man’s house, a messenger came to them and drew the ruler 
aside. 

“Why do you trouble the Master?” he said. ‘‘Your little 
girl is dead.”’ Jesus saw the look of worry on the man’s face. 

“Be not afraid,’ he said, ‘‘only believe.’”’ So they 
journeyed on. When they came to the ruler’s house the 
doors were open and the music of flutes and the sobbing of 
people came to them. The people in those days were paid to 
go to their friend’s house, when they were sick or dead, and 
throw ashes on their hair, and play sad tunes on the flutes, 
instead of sending flowers like we do now. 

Jesus said, ‘“Why do you play, the little girl is not dead, 
she sleepeth.”? They laughed in scorn at him, and he sent 
them away. He took three of his disciples and the mother 
and the father. The mother was sadder than all the rest, 
though she did not tear her hair and sob. Her little girl was 
gone, and so was all the light of the world. As Jesus entered 
the room, there lay the little girl. Her breath had quite gone, 
and her hand was cold. 

As he took her little hand in his, he said, ‘Little maid 
arise,’ and the color came back to her cheeks, and she grew 
well and happy. To prove this to them Jesus said, “‘Give 
her someting to eat.’’ And what a happy time that must have 
been. 

And I think the little girl was happy all the rest of her 
life, to think that Jesus had touched her hand, and that he 
had healed her. And it is just like when you go to bed at 
night. Jesus puts you to sleep and he wakes you up in the 
morning to carry out his work through the day. 


(Told by a girl ten years old.) 


154 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


A MISSION STORY 
(Grade VI) 


BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 


Do you remember the new commandment which Jesus 
Christ gave unto his disciples, to love your neighbor as your- 
self? Some of us seem to have sometimes forgotten, or have 
not known perhaps, just who was our neighbor. This morn- 
ing I am going to tell you the story of the man who spent his 
whole life teaching others the true meaning of this command- 
ment, and striving always to bring brotherly love and sym- 
pathetic understanding to men of different races. } 

Booker T. Washington was born of a slave mother, a 
cook on a large plantation in Virginia. As a tiny child he 
lived in a one-room cabin, cold in the winter from the wind 
which blew through the large cracks in the walls, and hot in 
the summer from the blazing fireplace. There was no furni- 
ture in the cabin, and Booker never knew what it was to 
sleep in a bed until after the emancipation of the slaves. But 
he slept instead on a heap of filthy rags in the corner on a 
dirt floor. Like Topsy, he just grew up, for his busy mother 
had no time to devote to him. 

Later, when he was four or five years old, he ran errands 
for the big house, or fanned his master on hot days. Once 
he accompanied his little mistress to school, carrying her 
books. This glimpse of the schoolroom gave him his first 
desire that some day he too would learn to read and write. 

After the Civil War, his family moved to Maldon, West 
Virginia, where his stepfather worked in a salt furnace. Later 
his father saw that he could not support the family, so he 
told Booker and his brother that they would have to work 
in a salt furnace or coal mine too. While in the mine, Booker 
overheard two miners talking about a school in Hampton, 
Virginia. He asked his mother and father if he could go, and 


THE PERIOD OF WoRSHIP 155 


they consented, if he could work his way. After many hard- 
ships he finally entered the institution. Here he worked very 
hard, and when he finally graduated he won the highest 
honors. During vacations he worked in restaurants so that 
he could earn enough money to go on with his schooling. 
Between times he organized day and night schools where he 
taught people of his own race, not only to read and write, 
but to respect manual labor as well. As the pupils would 
graduate from these day and night schools, they went to 
Hampton Institute. They found that Booker’s pupils were 
the brightest so they sent for Booker to teach school. 

Here he taught two years until he was called to go to 
Tuskegee to teach school there. He expected a fairly large 
school, but found nothing but three cabins and a chicken 
coop. He knew it wouldn’t do much good to start a school 
that way, for the people had just enough money to pay his 
salary. He found the people were not living up to the rules 
of Christian living so he taught them how to keep clean and 
healthy. This was done by staying at their cabins one month 
each. After he taught them how to keep clean he started the 
school. His aim while he was in Tuskegee was to educate the 
people so well, and teach them how to work so good, that we 
would accept them as citizens of our community. 

It is for us to carry on his work and help realize his aim: 
that we, the white race, and the black race, should live peace- 
fully together. I think that we should take his motto as ours 
—to love our neighbors as ourselves. 


(Told by a boy eleven years old.) 


Below are listed some of the prayers offered at the 
period of worship. These prayers were taken down 
stenographically as offered and have not been revised. 
The pupils were not coached by anyone for the specific 


156 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


prayer offered. Assembly prayers are always offered by 
pupils from the seventh, eighth, and high-school grades 
only. . 
Dear God our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for 
making this Summer School of Religious Education pos- 
sible. We thank Thee that we may learn more about Thee 
and Thy Son instead of having such vague ideas about Him 
and His work here on earth. Bless this school, and any other 
school that is doing good work teaching the Gospel. Bless the 
teachers, principal and pastor, and aid them in their work. 
May all those who have not had the chance to learn, and 
those who are indifferent, be taught these things. Dear God, 
help us who have been blessed so abundantly to show by our 
lives that we love Thee. Help us in our work and in our play 
to be truly Christian. In the name of our Savior, Jesus 


Christ, we ask this. Amen. 
HicH SCHOOL 


Dear Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for life, health, 
and for Thy loving care. We thank Thee for the privilege of 
coming here to worship and learn of Thee. Bless the mis- 
sionaries both in our own land and far away countries. May 
Thy loving spirit rest upon those who are being taught. Be 
with those who are sick, discouraged, or in trouble, and those 
who have done something wrong and wish to Be forgiven. 
Dear Father comfort all such people. We thank Thee the 
church has progressed since apostolic times. May it grow in 
strength so that some day every person in the world may 
become a member of the Christian Church. May the Bible 
School also grow, and graduate fine boys and girls who will 
make the ideal citizens of the Kingdom. We ask these things 
in the name of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ. 


GRADE VIII 


THE PERIOD OF WORSHIP $57 


Dear Father in Heaven, we thank Thee for the Bible and 
our Summer School of Religious Education, that teach us to 
grow up to be better Christians. We thank Thee for Thy 
guidance and care, and pray for strength to do our part. We 
thank Thee for our happy homes and loving parents, and 
we pray that the children in foreign lands may love and seek 
Thee also. Be with the missionaries that they may save 
foreign people. Forgive us our sins, and be with the sick and 
weary. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, 


Amen. 
GRADE VII, 


CHAPTER VII 
TRAINING IN PRAYER 


We have set for ourselves the definite task of train- 
ing our pupils in the art of public prayer. The popular 
American vice is to do things by proxy. Most of our 
games are played by people who are paid to play them 
while we sit in the bleachers and look on. We play by 
proxy. It is literally true that most of our praying is 
done by proxy, as Professor Luther Allan Weigle has 
suggested. We have undertaken to cultivate the habit of 
individual prayer and to develop a spirit of participa- 
tion rather than the bleacher attitude. 

We look upon training in prayer very much as we 
do upon teaching a pupil the multiplication table. To 
stand before a problem in engineering, such as building a 
bridge, and repeat the multiplication table is of course 
sublime folly. The problem will not be solved that way. 
On the other hand, one has to know the multiplication 
table to be able to solve problems in engineering. By the 
same token, saying prayers in childhood and youth is 
the training indispensable to a career of effective praying 
before the issues that come upon one in mature life. 
After six years we have a group of young men and 
women, some of whom are now upper classmen in col- 
lege, who can be called upon to lead in public prayer at 
any assembly of our church. They are frequently so 


158 


TRAINING IN PRAYER 159 


called upon. If our present tendency continues in ten or 
fifteen years it will be the exception to find a young per- 
son who will not respond to an invitation to lead in 
public prayer. Many of these prayers, for sincerity, 
beauty, and evident faith, are as moving as the prayers 
of more mature persons. What is more important, how- 
ever, than the quality of the specific prayer made is 
the habit of prayer. Christendom needs not so much 
“prayers” as “pray-ers.”’ We are trying to develop 
““‘pray-ers.”’ 

We are deeply indebted to the book, Training the 
Devotional Life, by Weigle and Tweedy (The Pilgrim 
Press) for guidance in this phase of our school work. 
The method by which we aim to accomplish our end is 
somewhat as follows. We secure from each child during 
the first week of school a prayer that he has written 
without preliminary warning. On the basis of those 
prayers the teacher frequently leads a discussion of what 
constitutes a prayer. In the course of a week the class 
co-operates in drafting a class prayer which is a com- 
posite of the individual prayers turned in, being true to 
the ideas and language of the pupils. Each pupil learns 
the composite prayer. They use it in unison in the morn- 
ing at the beginning of each day’s work. Many of the 
smaller pupils want to use their composite prayer at bed- 
time in the home. The next step is to have the teachers 
invite individual pupils to lead the class in prayer at the 
opening of the first period in the morning. The response 
is usually quite gratifying. Some reticent pupils need 
help and stimulus from the teacher. The last step is 
taken when in the seventh, eighth, or high-school grades 


t60 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL | 


the pupil is invited to lead the whole school in prayer at 
the period of worship. 

To carry out such a practice successfully depends 
largely on the tact and skill of the teacher. It is our 
constant aim to exalt prayer as a serious and solemn 
act. In six years we have had no reason to regret the 
attempt we have been making. Again and again pupils 
have come to their teachers or to the director of the 
school for help in the first step. The difficulty we usually 
meet is that of fear lest the pupil seem foolish as he leads 
the class in prayer. It is a difficulty that wears away 
with the progress of the school into its third and fourth 
weeks. Not infrequently requests come for model pray- 
ers to be used in the home or formulas to be used at 
mealtime. 

We have no record of individual prayers offered at 
class periods. It is quite obvious that to take notes 
would destroy that sense of reverence which is the life 
of prayer. Some of the “‘composite prayers” are listed 
below and some of the prayers made at the assembly 
may be found in the chapter dealing with the assembly. 


Kindergarten: In the Kindergarten we teach the Lord’s 
Prayer and the Twenty-third Psalm. 
We have experienced no difficulty in ac- 
complishing this end. 


Grade I: Dear Father in Heaven, we thank Thee 
for our parents. We thank Thee for our 
food and clothing and for the beautiful 
flowers and birds. Help us to be kind and 
thoughtful. Let us be honest and true all 


Grade II: 


Grade ITI: 


Grade IV: 


TRAINING IN PRAYER 161 


the time. Bless all those who are poor 
and ill and watch over them. In Jesus’ 
name we ask all these things. Amen. 


Dear Father in Heaven, we thank Thee 
for the things Thou hast given us. We 
thank Thee for our mothers and fathers 
who care for us. We thank Thee for the 
Summer School where we learn more of 
Thee. Dear Heavenly Father, help the 
people who are sick. Make them strong 
and well. Help us not to be selfish but to 
be kind, good and loving. We ask these 
things in Jesus’ name. Amen. 


Our Dear Heavenly Father, we have 
come here to learn more about Thee and 
to worship Thee. Help us to know Thy 
Word and to obey It. We ask that Thou 
wilt be with us and care for us. Help us 
to be kind to others as Thou art kind to 
us. Help those that need Thy care. Bless 
those who are working for Thee and who 
are helping others. We thank Thee for 
all that Thou hast given us. We ask all 
this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 


Our Father in Heaven, we thank Thee for 

‘Thy care. We thank Thee for our par- 
ents, homes, and for this Bible School we 
come to. Bless those who are not able to 
be with us. Dear Father in Heaven, help 
us to be kind to others. We ask these 
things in Jesus’ name. Amen. 


162 


A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Grade V: 


Grade VI: 


Dear Father in Heaven, we thank Thee 
for this beautiful earth with its birds and 
flowers. We are also thankful for cloth- 
ing, shelter and food. Bless the pastor, 
our parents and all who are living for 
Thee. Send missionaries to teach those 
who have not learned about Thee, that 
all the world may praise and worship 
Christ. Each day we do wrong. Forgive 
us for our wrong doings and help us to do 
right. We are glad for our Bible School 
where we come to learn to do right. 
Guide us and bless us as we go about our 
work and play each day. We ask these 
things for Jesus’ sake. Amen. 


Our gracious Father in Heaven, we thank 
Thee this day for all the many blessings 
Thou hast given us; for homes, for 
churches, for loving parents who under- 
stand us, for the beautiful world in 
which we live; and we pray that we 
may be worthy of all these good gifts. 
We ask that Thou wilt bless those who 
know Thee not, wherever they may be. 
May they some day learn about Thy 
great love, and we pray that we may 
share in teaching others about Thee. 
Help us to love our enemies as we love 
our friends. Forgive us when we are un- 
true or envious, and keep us from wrong 
doing. Heal the sick, help the poor and 
comfort those in sorrow. Bless the mis- 


TRAINING IN PRAYER 163 


sionaries and help them to carry on their 
life work. May the boys and girls of all 
races learn of the peace and good will of 
Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. 
Amen. 


Grades VII, VIII, and high school open each morn- 
ing’s first class with an impromptu prayer by one of the 


pupils. The assembly period is also led in prayer by a 
pupil from one of theSe grades. 


CHAPTER VIII 
SERVICE DAY 


Two years ago we held our first ‘‘Service Day.”” One 
morning, toward the end of the session of the school, was 
set aside as a “‘day of helpfulness.”’ The pupils came to 
school at the usual hour. They went directly into a 
period of worship from which they were taken in auto- 
mobiles by parents and friends to the various service 
centers of our city. The result was so gratifying that 
“Service Day” is occupying an increasingly larger place 
in our program. 

The validity of the project principle is so well 
established that it is difficult to see how a school in 
religious education can do its best work without apply- — 
ing this principle in some form or other. Erwin Shaver’s 
book, The Project Principle in Religious Education 
(University of Chicago Press) is indispensable to the 
modern religious educator. It is not only highly instruc- 
tive but has listed a great many projects that will at 
once suggest practical things to be undertaken by any 
school. In a brief four weeks’ course we have been able 
to carry out several projects of great significance to the 
pupils. The following projects have been carried out as 
outlined by the teachers (as will appear at once, we 
found it helpful to have several grades combine for 
‘Service Day”’): 


164 


SERVICE Day 165 


SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
KINDERGARTEN 
A VISIT TO CHILDREN’S HOME 


I. Purposing 


A. Teacher’s part 
1. Starting point—selecting a project that 
a) Would arouse and hold the interest of my 
kindergarten class. 
b) Would correlate with my Bible work. 
c) Would be co-operative—not individual. 
d) Would meet a definite need. 
B. Children’s part 
I. Suggest what they would like to do for other 
children. 
2. Vote (raise hands) to find interest of majority. 


II. Planning 


A. Selected stories for my daily lessons that would 
correlate with project and which would permit chil- 
dren to talk freely about 

a) Their home life. 

b) The home life of orphans etc. 
c) Doing for others. 

d) Spirit of co-operation. 

e) Loving-kindness. 


III. Execution 
A. Told the following stories: 
1. A Little Boy Helping: Jesus. 
My aim—When we help others we are showing 
our love. 
2. Thanking God by Giving. 
Aim—Express thankfulness by sharing gifts. 


166 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


IV. 


E. 


3. Christmas Bells. 
Aim—Loving, giving. 
4. A Little Boy Praising God. 
Aim—This story shows results from lessons which 
awaken appreciation and a feeling of gratitude. 
Collected materials on topics suggested. 
1. Pictures. 
Bre Gilts: 
Class Discussion: 
Toys they like to own. 
Scrapbook and picture books they like. 
Songs they like to sing for others. 


. Tried to get children to do their own chinkinets in 


selecting materials for project, and the cutting, past- 
ing and mounting pictures. 
Visited the Home, and entertained the children. 


Reaction 


HOA S 


Ky ey 


. Increased children’s interest by making scrapbook. 
. Encouraged attendance. 

. Encouraged children to talk freely. 

. Found joy of sharing as well as giving. 

. Children needed help of parents in selecting pictures 


and gifts, creating a closer contact with parents and 
kindergarten. 


. Doing for others. Experience of working together. 


Everybody helped to make the book: children, par- 
ents, teacher. 

Required not only activity but some judgment and 
thinking on part of children. 


. A beginning of the habit of service. 
. Children showed quite a little originality. 
. Showed ability to collect materials. 


SERVICE Day 167 


SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
GRADE I 


I. Aims—To serve others 


Be unselfish 


II. Introduction to Project 


1. What could we do to make someone happy? 


a) Suggestion—go to Children’s Home. 


. Could we give the children anything? 


a) Suggestion—each child take a toy. 


. What could the class do? 


a) Suggestion—Make scrapbooks to take to chil- 
dren. 


. What could we do when we got to the Home? 


a) Suggestion—We could sing some of our church 
songs. 


III. Procedure 


T 
2. 


&& 


Began working two weeks before Service Day. 
Children brought pictures from home, which during 
class were pasted into scrapbooks. 


. Each child bought one or more toys. 
. Practiced a program of songs and story-telling to be 


presented on Service Day. 


IV. Service Day 


I. 
oa 


3: 


Parents volunteered to take children to Home in cars. 
Each child carried a toy. 

Three scrapbooks had been finished to be given to 
children at Home. 


. Went to Home. 


a) Presented our gifts. 

b) Presented our program and came back feeling 
that we had done something to’: make someone 
else happy. . 


168 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
GRADE II 


It was decided that we go to Summit Street Or- 
phans’ Home on Service Day. 

Talked to class about little children whose mothers 
and fathers died and left them in care of Orphans’ 
Home. Talked about the lovely home and wonderful 
care they have there. 

Asked what children would like to do for these or- 
phans. Children brought one new toy (amount to cents) 
and any old toys or books. 

Children decided to make a Japanese scrapbook be- 
cause we were studying about Japanese for mission 
work. Also made another scrapbook of any pictures the 
children liked. 

One of the girls from the class told a short Bible 
story. 


SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
GRADES III, IV, V 


In working out this project we first talked about the 
purpose of having Service Day. The teacher’s aim was 
to have the children realize the value of Service Day— 
of doing something for others. The pupils’ was the 
actual doing of something for others. 

The next step was the selection of a place to go. 
Some suggested the Children’s Home, others the 
Widows’ Home, others the Asylum, and still others the 
Day Nursery. We gave our reasons for wanting to go 
to each of these places and decided by vote that we 


SERVICE Day 169 


thought the reasons for going to the Widows’ Home 
were best. Some of the reasons were: 
Because they are old and can’t get away to enjoy them- 
selves; 
They don’t get a chance to see children very often; 
Because some of them have no one to love them; 
Because each one is somebody’s mother. 


The third question that arose was the ways and 
means of getting to the Home. Suggestions were that 
we could walk, go on the car street, or in autos. We soon 
found that it was entirely too far to walk and that it 
would be more convenient to have our parents drive us 
out in autos than to go on the street car. After consult- 
ing the parents we were able to obtain enough autos to 
carry everyone from the school to the Home, thus 
eliminating the danger of accidents with so large a group 
on going through the downtown district to take a street 
car. 

The children thought it would be interesting to the 
ladies at the Home to have a program patterned after 
our daily assembly at school so the following program 
was planned by the children: 


PROGRAM FOR SERVICE DAY 


aletaAVVOISUIP 7.22 Nf bes Third, Fourth, and Fifth 
grades. 

ES CES, Be ey ge re Holy, Holy, Holy. 

"TEA ak 2 Fifth-grade pupil. 

POONER ee cies Sed geo aes wk We Praise Thee O God. 

RI LEROLOL Vi aty's 2s pci Us Mite (o/s vel > & Fourth-grade pupil. 


Pledge to Christian Flag 


170 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


SON PR eats donee. ie epee Hosanna, Loud Hosanna. 
Mission Story’..:.; ) 49 Fifth-grade pupil. 
Dramatization: se. oe Third grade. 

Pledge to Patriotic Flag 

MONE i Hecate tae re America 

Benediction. 


Someone knew that the ladies at the Home enjoyed 
fruits and jellies and that some who could see well 
enough to read enjoyed the stories in magazines. So we 
planned not to go empty-handed but to take jellies, 
jams, fruit, and magazines as gifts, the money used to 
buy these things to be obtained by working in some way. 
Things that the children thought they could do to earn 
money were: 


1. Carry papers 5. Wash dishes 

2. Cut grass 6. Take care of baby 
3. Dust 7. Run errands 

4. Make beds 8. Caddy 


SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
GRADE VI 


This lesson and project grew out of a previous les- 
son on Abraham as a friendly neighbor. In this session 
the teacher’s aim had been to promote among the pupils 
the idea of the need and desirability for friendliness and 
understanding between nations. 

After the opening prayer, a mission story was told 
by one of the pupils in preparation for her story in the 
assembly. Then a brief review of the preceding stories 
was given and the following questions were asked: 


SERVICE DAY 17a 


. How were the early tribes of Hebrews governed? 

. Name one of the patriarchs. 

. Where had Abraham’s family originally lived? 

. Why had they moved? What does this tell about this 

family? 

5. How did Abraham honor God for His promises and 
protection? 

6. What incident proves to us that Abraham had gained 
a higher, clearer vision of God? 
(Previous story retold by a pupil.) 

7. What do you like best about Abraham? 


The answers to the foregoing questions furnished 
the basis for the following statements which were then 
written on the board. 

a) Abraham was a courageous leader who trusted God 

and was true to his vision. 

b) He was a friendly, unselfish neighbor. 


The teacher then told the second story of Abraham’s 
friendliness and manner of settling disputes. The follow- 
ing outline had already been placed on the board. 

A. Introduction. 

B. Story: A Friendly Neighbor. (Cont.) 

1. The agreement between Abraham and 
Abimelech. 

2. The settlement of the dispute over the 
well. 

3. The covenant. 


hw HD H 


After the telling of the story a question as to the 
value of the story brought out the following conclusion 
which was then written on the board: It is better not to 
quarrel with those who injure us, but patiently and 
peaceably to come to an agreement. 


172. A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


The following texts were assigned for reference and 
read aloud: Proverbs 16:32, Romans 12:18: 
Then softly a prayer was read and repeated 


together: : 
We bless thee for thy peace, O God, 


Deep as the boundless sea, 
Which falls like sunshine on the road 
Of those who trust in thee. 


A few minutes were spent in copying in their note- 
books the outline, conclusion, and texts and then these 
questions aere asked and discussed. 

1. What need is there for friendliness between nations 

today? 

2. How may it be shown? 


The answers to this last question brought out the 
incident of the return of China’s indemnity by’ the 
United States after the Boxer Uprising. This offered a 
fine opportunity for the mention of the present anti- 
foreign agitation in China and fundamental causes. In 
answer to the question ‘‘What are the causes for hatred 
and hostility ?’’ the class suggested ignorance and mis- 
understanding. Immediately the question arose as to 
what might be done to bring about a better understand- 
ing and a friendlier feeling between individuals of differ- 
ent nations. One pupil suggested an exchange of pro- 
fessors (!), another thought sending missionaries might 
help. Still another suggested the writing of letters to 
various schools and mission stations in China. One boy 
thought moving pictures of ourselves, our homes, our 
cities, our occupations, and amusements might dispel 
fear and hostility. Then came what seemed a most fav- 


SERVICE DAY 173 


orable suggestion. Why not make a scrapbook with 
pictures of ourselves, our homes, etc., and send it with 
a letter to Sieu Lan (the center of the area so recently 
disturbed by fighting) to a missionary friend of the 
teacher’s? Perhaps she would get her pupils to send 
such a scrapbook of themselves to the class; letters 
might be exchanged, and in this way something might 
be done, however little, to break down the barrier of 
suspicion and misunderstanding and to create a feeling 
of friendship between individuals of different nations. 

It was planned to use a loose-leaf notebook and al- 
low each pupil to be responsible for one sheet. The fol- 
lowing topics were decided upon: Our country (this in- 
cluded a picture of our flag, our president and views of 
our Capitol); our homes, interior and exterior; our 
churches; our schools; our food; our playtime; our holi- 
days; our seasons; how we travel; how we dress; animals 
of our country; birds of our country; scenery of our 
country; our factories and public buildings; views of our 
city, Dayton; pictures of family life; and snapshots of 
the class itself. A model notebook showing the Bible and 
mission study courses of our school was also to be sent 
with the scrapbook. 

A second conclusion was then added to the one al- 
ready placed in the notebooks.- It was as follows: It has 
always been recognized that the right way to settle 
trouble between tribes and peoples is by friendly con- 
ferences and not by wars. 

The next day a period was spent in work on the 
scrapbook. As the work was of an informal nature, it 
was interesting to note the discussion of the children as 


174 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


to the probable outcome of the project, and the many 
opportunities which were provided for the exercise of 
real judgment and thought in the selection of suitable 
pictures to be used. It took much longer to complete the 
book than we had anticipated, but the children were 
very eager about it. The class talked of it constantly 
and made reference to the Chinese in the discussion of 
their other work. Several members brought in news- 
paper clippings on Chinese affairs, others brought pic- 
tures of Chinese costumes, and there were references in 
their prayers to the missionaries in China and to the 
Chinese students in America. Finally, a letter was writ- 
ten to the missionary friend and this was sent together 
with the scrapbook and a model notebook of all class 
work. 

There has not yet been time enough to receive a 
reply but it is felt that a keen interest has been aroused 
in world affairs. As the class was at the same time 
studying the lives of Booker T. Washington and David 
Livingstone, this interest in the Chinese was linked to- 
gether in the study of race problems and it has seemed 
that the children have in some measure really grasped 
the need for toleration and respect for all races and 
nations. 

SERVICE-DAY PROJECT 
GRADES VII anv VIII 
A. Motivation 
I. What Summer School of Religious Education offers. 
a) At what cost to us? 
(This is to emphasize the fact that pupils are 
continually receiving—not giving.) 


SERVICE Day 1 A 


b) How can students show their appreciation? 
1. By doing something for others—‘‘Service 
Day” 
(a) Last year’s ‘‘Service Day”’ 
(x) A success or not. 
(2) Good derived by individuals from 
this day’s work. 
(b) This year’s ‘Service Day” 
(1) Where help is needed and what sort 
of help. 
(2) Discussion of Meaning of “Service 
Day” 
i) Definitions: 
(Seventh Grade) Service Day is 
the day when we bring happi- 
ness to the  unfortunates. 
(Eighth Grade) Service Day is 
the day on which we show our 
appreciation for the things done 
for us by helping others. 


(3) Reasons for having a ‘‘Service Day”’ 
i) To help others 
ii) To learn needs of others 
ili) To show others what our Bible 
School is trying to accomplish. 
iv) To show our appreciation for 
what has been done for us in 
Bible School. 
(4) Places considered were: 
i) County Jail 
ii) Work House 
iii) State Hospital 
iv) Tuberculosis Hospital 


176 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


v) Barney Community Center 
vi) Montgomery County Children’s 
Home. 
vii) Widows’ Home 
viii) County Infirmary 
ix) Day Nursery 
x) House of Detention 
xi) Soldiers’ Home 
xii) “Twin Star’—Miami Valley 
Hospital (Children’s Ward) 
(Each place was carefully con- 
sidered in order that the class 
might choose the one they 
thought needed help most.) 


Decision: County Infirmary. 


B. The County Infirmary 
I. Where located 
II. How supported 
III. The organization of Infirmaries 
a) Pauperism in England and other foreign coun- 
tries 
b) Almshouses 
1. The paupers of United States as compared 
with other countries 
IV. Reasons for people becoming inmates of such an 
institution. 
a) Sickness 
b) Misfortune 
c) Shiftlessness 
1. Lesson on Thrift 
“The Ten Talents.” 
V. What are duties of inmates? 


SERVICE Day T7 


VI. Pleasures of inmates? 


a) Why few? 

b) What is general attitude of a greater number of 
people today toward inmates regarding pleas- 
ures? 

c) What should our real Christian attitude toward 
these people be? 

1. Story of the “Rich Man and pape 

d) What can we do to afford some pleasure for 
these people through the medium of our Summer 
School of Religious Education? 


C. Program as children worked out. 


a) Program 
Leader: 


. Prayer 

. Dramatization ““Abraham’s Adventure” 

. Story of Joseph 

. Hymn ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd” 

. Story of Christ “‘Christ and His Friends” 
. Hymn “TI Would Be True” 

. Benediction 


a) Gifts 
A. Newspapers 
B. Magazines 
C. Fruit. 


CHAPTER Ix 
RESULTS 


When our Summer School of Religious Education 
was projected we all wondered how we could adequately 
estimate any possible results that we might achieve. 
The advice of men of learning and experience in the field 
of religious education was sought. Their suggestions 
were not very definite. The consensus of opinion seemed 
to be that, in the words of one of these experts, “‘if the 
children are eager to come, are regular in their attend- 
ance, and enter heartily into the program of the school”’ 
we may feel that we are really reaching them. If that at- 
titude be an adequate test of the success of a program 
such as ours, then our results are exceedingly gratify- 
ing. For the entire life of our school, viz., six sessions, 
the average daily attendance has been g2 per cent of the 
enrolment; this despite the face that the attendance is 
entirely voluntary; that the school is conducted in the 
summer time; that the First Lutheran Church is a down- 
town church with many of the children coming as far as 
six miles to it. 


I. RESPONSES FROM PARENTS 
It has been the custom of the writer each year to 
ask parents to send in letters expressing themselves 
about our school. The replies do not touch on specific 
points very often though they offer a very enthusiastic 
approval of the project. Here and there, however, cer- 


178 


RESULTS 179 


tain results are singled out for mention in these letters. 
It is on the basis of these letters that the following sug- 
gestions are perhaps in order. 

1. A parent of three boys, distributed in grades IV, 
VI, and VIII writes as follows: 


They take their Bibles with them to bed each night 
ready to read them when they awaken in the morning; and 
it is not unusual to hear fragments of the church hymns sung 
by them throughout the day. Of course this is all unusual, 
but I believe it shows the impression that has been made 
upon them as a result of their first bit of education along 
these lines; and I am quite sure the more of it they get, the 
stronger and greater the impression. They are intensely 
interested in Bible reading and Bible stories, and I feel that 
your good work and interest in them will have a lasting 
effect upon their young lives. 


2. Another parent writes: 


I have two children enrolled in the Summer School of 
Religious Education, First Lutheran Church; one, a boy, now 
in the seventh grade, has been attending the school the past 
four years; another, a girl, is in the first grade. She has been 
enrolled in the school three years, having spent two years in 
the kindergarten. During all this time these children have 
not been urged once to attend school but have done so 
eagerly. 

Their knowledge of the Bible has been greatly increased 
through this school of religious education. They have ac- 
quired a great fund of information about missions and other 
Christian work. They have learned the art of daily worship 
and it has made a very noticeable impression on them. They 
sing the beautiful hymns of the church constantly about the 
house. 


180 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


You may be surprised when I tell you that although I 
consider all this fine and remarkable the outstanding thing 
in my mind is the fact that these children are so eager to at- 
tend the school during the hot summer month. 


3. The father of a girl who has been in our school 
during all six sessions, concluding last year’s session in 
the eighth grade writes: 

The School of Religious Education is teaching our 
daughter to be frank and natural in her religious life and to 
attempt to be definitely Christian among companions, with- 
out embarrassment to herself. I attribute this attitude to 
the emphasis that you place on public prayer and participa- 
tion in the period of worship, as well as on the dramatizations. 
On my many visits to the school I have been impressed es- 
pecially with the fine attitude of reverence that prevails both 
in the class room and in the assembly period. 


4. One parent writes: 


The fact that my daughter is learning to use the Bible 
and to know it as a useable book is worth a great deal. 


5. In the same connection a letter from another 
parent contains this paragraph. 

The practical effect of this school in the lives of our five 
children is that their actions are more largely governed now 
by what they understand to be right and wrong rather than 
because of arbitrary commands that may be given to them. 
They see the good sense of Christian conduct, and we have 
discovered that it requires much less parental pressure to 
bring their conduct to a desired standard. 


6. A parent of a boy who has been in the school five 
years states quite frankly: 


RESULTS ISt 


I was unable to see the school in operation, but I can 
say something of the good it has accomplished for 
He has more biblical knowledge than I have, because the 
only opportunity offered when I was young was the usual 
hour on Sunday morning, and that hour was not made very 
interesting. is a better boy mentally and morally for 
having attended summer school. 








7. The father of two boys writes: 


The closing of the Summer School session dedicated to 
religious education prompts me to convey to you my sincere 
appreciation of the evident benefits my two boys derived by 
reason of their attendance. 

The methods pursued must have been correct for their 
interest was aroused at the very outset, maintained through- 
out the session and doubtless they will always retain the im- 
press of some of the beautiful lessons of the Bible there un- 
folded. 

One of the reasons why the study of the Bible is gen- 
erally regarded as a pretty dry task is that stereotyped, un- 
interesting methods have been used in the instruction of the 
youth instead of pursuing a method that seeks to arouse their 
enthusiasm and hold their undivided interest. 

Your school’s activities have been tuned to the latter 
note hence its success which I trust may be continued upon 
an ever increasing plane of usefulness. 


A great many letters call attention to the fact that 
the children acquire a fund of information about the 
Bible and its stories which enables them to participate 
in the leadership of their own Sunday-school classes. 
There are several instances where the Junior Church of 
various congregations in the city is led by pupils of our 
summer school. 


182 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


II. RESPONSES FROM PUPILS 

In an attempt to measure the results that we may 
have gotten the writer had a great many conferences 
with young people who are now students in colleges, 
but who were students in our summer school in years 
past. 

a) One young woman in an eastern university said 
quite frankly that before she was a student in our 
school, young children bored her. She had no interest in 
them whatever. She received the inspiration to under- 
take the leadership of a Sunday-school class, and is 
definitely carrying it out, as a result of her membership 
in our school. 

6) A young woman who was a student in the high 
school for two years writes that the course of study in 
the Summer School of Religious Education gave her an 
entirely new conception of Jesus Christ. For the first 
time he became more than a mythical figure. He became 
a reality. She was definitely led to study the life of 
Jesus after the school closed. 

She also attributes to the Summer School a quite 
distinct incentive to take up Sunday-school teaching, 
something she had never thought of doing before. 

The Summer School in her case, as in that of so 
many others, marked the first adventure in the art of 
public prayer. 

c) A young woman who is a Senior in high school 
points out the effect her membership in the Summer 
School has had on her in these words: 

It has really cultivated a desire to read the Bible as well 
as establishing the habit of Bible reading. 


RESULTS 183 


In the matter of public prayer, I now find it a perfectly 
possible procedure and I am not the least embarrassed al- 
though I never led in public prayer before. 

My participation and leadership in the Period of Wor- 
ship has made religion a perfectly natural happening in one’s 
life and has given me ease before people. 


d) A young man of sixteen who is about to graduate 
from high school has this to say: 

The Summer School changed my ideas of success com- 
pletely. I always believed that those only were successful 
who acquired great sums of money and power. Through my 
study of the missionary heroes I discovered that a man who 
makes self-forgetting service his aim is really achieving a very 
wonderful kind of success. I came to this conclusion through 
the study of David Livingstone. 


Whereupon the writer asked why the study of the life of 
Christ in the Sunday school had not accomplished the 
same result. The young man replied very promptly 
that Jesus was entirely legendary to him. 

This same young man is very fond of athletics and 
invariably spent the summer afternoons on the baseball 
diamond. He found that the principles of Christian con- 
duct taught in the school applied to the athletic field. 
He cited as proof of this that for the first time he 
realized that the control of his temper is a job that must 
be done by him. 

e) A young woman who is graduating from college 
writes: 

The most important thing—the summer school services 
satisfied a rather peculiar emotional need. The music, the 
marching—silent and slow—the flags, the dramatizations all 


184 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


awakened the mind and heart so that a real feeling for reli- 
gion, symbolized by Christ, seemed to be there, in you. 
The school in a very fine way connected life, with its 
daily problems, and religion. By going every day, instead of 
the usual once a week, the interest and purpose of our study 
. was not lost. The thought carried over from hour to hour. 


f) A young woman who was a student in the high 
school for several years writes: 

Two years study in the Summer School of Religious 
Education has brought out a number of benefits for me, as a 
scholar. Foremost of these was a desire to teach others about 
the Bible. 

I acquired a taste for good reading from the class discus- 
sions. 


g) A young man, a Senior in an eastern university, 
has this to say: | 

Summer School, at the time I was attending, was an 
experience different in subject matter, but much similar to 
regular school in discipline. 

Then there is the other side. The good associations and 
recreations sponsored by the school. Many of these recol- 
lections I look back upon with pleasure. 

The dramatization of religious subjects is something that 
should never be overlooked. Besides being good training and 
most interesting it furnishes a means of closer understanding ° 
of teachings in the Bible; all of the plays being taken 
wholly or in part from that Book. 


h) A young woman away at college writes: 

I value the work given in the school chiefly as a reliable 
source of information upon which to erect the foundation of 
my philosophy of life. Everyone knows about the evolution 


RESULTS 185 


of ideas that students face during their college days. I feel 
that the Summer School has helped me to meet these changes 
intelligently. 


i) A Junior (a young man) at one of our leading 
universities writes: 


I can frankly say that the course I took at your Summer 
School of Religious Education was very much worthwhile. 
It gave me something which I had never had before, viz., 
an intimate and not a general knowledge of the Bible. In 
that one month of constant study I got what many years of 
Sunday School failed to give. It was all presented in an in- 
teresting and vivid manner. The story of the Prodigal Son 
which we dramatized will always stand out in my mind. I 
got a great deal more out of my course at the Summer School 
of Religious Education than I did from all the courses that 
I have had here at in the Bible.” 








INDEX 


Atkinson, 74 
Attendance, average of, 12 


Betts, 7, 43 
Bible, place of, in religious edu- 
cation, 40 


Burgess, 70 


Certificate, 22 


Christ: dramatization of 
“Scenes from Life of 
Christ,” 138-43 

Coe,-7 

Constructive Study Series, 42 

Cope, 79 


Curriculum: criticized, 42-43; 
outline of, 14-19 


David: dramatization of 
“When David Saved the 
Day,’ 115-17 

Discipline, 12 

Dramatization: choice. of 
actors, 114-15; costumes, 
114-15; preparing stories for, 
114; schedule of, 31-33 


Education in modern church, 
300 

Enrolment, 8, 19 

Equipment, 7, 28-30 

Esther: dramatization of 
“Esther,” 123-29 


Funds, 6 


Garrison, William Lloyd: Es- 
says on, 105-9 
Grenfell, 102-4 


Hartshorne, 7, 34-35 
Henry, 74 

Hunting, 40, 64 
Hymns, listed, 33 


Kent and Jenks, 66 


Livingston: dramatization of 
his life, “In the Father’s 
Service,”’ 87—100 


Membership in school, 12 

Miller, Elizabeth Erwin, 7, 10, 
BOvI12 

Moses: dramatization of ‘“The 
Boyhood of Moses,” 118-23 

Mutch, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51, 
54; 55 57, 58, O1 


Paul: dramatization of “Paul 
before Felix and Festus,” 
75-78 

Phelps, William Lyon, 43 

Prayers: art of public, 158; 
assembly, 156-57; class, 159; 
composite, 160-63 

Pray-ers, 159 

Program, final, closing, 24-26 

Prodigal Son: dramatization of 
“The Prodigal Son,” 133-37 


187 


188 A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR THE CHURCH SCHOOL 


Projects for Service Day: 
Kindergarten, 165-66; Grade 
TI, 167; Grade II, 168; Grades 
III, IV, V, 169-70; Grade VI, 
170-74; Grades VII-VIII, 
175-77 


Rankin, 44 

Record, individual, 23 

Recreation, 9-10 

Report, card, 21 

Ruth: dramatization of 
RUC et 20-33 


Service-Day, projects for, see 
Projects for Service Day 

Shaver, 7, 165 

Smith, David, 70, 74 

Smith, H. Augustine, 11, 33 


Teachers: . preparation of, 7; 
remuneration of, 6; selec- 
tion of, 6 

Tralle, 7 


Weigle and Tweedy, 7, 159 


Worship: calls to, 34-35; place 
of, in religious education, 


145-47; program of, 147-48 


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